When watching a haunted house movie, we inevitably ask ourselves, “why?” Why does the family stay in the house where weird shit is happening? Why don’t they pack up and get the hell out of Dodge? Often, the answer is financial. In this economy? Packing up your house and starting over again without using the funds from selling the house you already dumped your life savings into isn’t a feasible option for most of us.
In the age of social media, the justification for remaining in a hotbed of paranormal activity has become even more feasible. They’re doing it for the likes, the clout, and yes - the money. Only this time, it’s not a family facing financial ruin, but the youth of our nation running headlong into danger for views and financial gain. Such is the case in Séance Games - Metaxu. When a group of social media personalities seek out a haunted location to take part in an online séance game, they unleash some ancient evil into the world. And really... The first part of that equation isn’t even far-fetched!
The upcoming feature was independently produced, and we all know independent filmmaking often means working with very limited funds. The Séance Games crew worked with what they had and wrote a screenplay around the budget. Co-writer Tyke Caravelli had written a script for Metaxu. Director and co-writer Tane McClure combined it with a concept to bring it into the 21st century. “I came up with the idea to bring in a group of young social media stars playing an online game, unwittingly conjuring the ghosts and opening the gates of hell. The two stories combined well and made a modern and compelling story with a new twist on séance horror that even included a Hitchcock and sci-fi edge.” And thus, Séance Games - Metaxu was born.
The script was specifically written to make the most out of a single location. “This would keep our costs down by eliminating too many company moves. This also allowed our cast and crew to get settled in, get to know each other, and do their very best work.”
La Tuna Locations in Sun Valley, California was the perfect setting for the indie horror story. “They have this old burnt-out house that easily doubled as our Haunted Hotel’s interiors. Our production designer, Erik Herrera, had a field day with the look of the hotel, turning it into the spooky haunted abode where cursed demons loomed. We filmed there for two weeks. Our entire cast and crew had breakfast together every morning, courtesy of Eric Roberts' step-daughter, Morgan Simons’, yummy catering service Graze LA. We all quickly became a family!”
Left to Right: Costumer Tiana Daley; Olivia Deligan (Kat), Bernard Timmons II (Stephen), Special FX Makeup Everett Reeves Routt; Farryl Christina Lawson (Julia); Key Makeup Artist and Special FX Makeup Artist Taliah Rae Cortez; Madison Taylor (Morgan).
Preparation was key to making the most of the production’s limited time on location. “Our producer and casting director Linda Berger worked her magic by assembling our talented ensemble cast. We had the opportunity to have a table read and rehearsals with our main cast and it truly helped us get off to a great start. Because of our tight filming schedule, everyone had to really know their lines and be on point at all times, and our cast truly delivered!”
Front kneeling: Madison Taylor (Morgan), Bernard Timmons II (Stephen)
Standing Left to Right: Director: Tane McClure; Chief Lighting Technician Gregory Unger; 2nd Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator Mark Steven Grove; Swing Grip/Electric John Walker; Director of Photography Keith Jefferies; Andrew James Ferguson (Tommy); 2nd Camera Operator Nickolas Gilbert; Olivia Deligan (Kat); Stunts Nate M. Coyle; Farryl Christina Lawson (Julia).
So much of indie filmmaking is born of necessity, and McClure does more than double duty here as co-writer, director, editor, visual effects, and actor. Working both behind and in front of the camera posed its own set of challenges.
“As the director of the film and also playing the role of Anna (the ghost of the red-haired woman), I suddenly found it slightly difficult to do both at the same time. I am also the film's editor and visual effects artist. As the director, while filming, I tend to see the edits in my head and the visual effects I will add later."
So how does one balance a director's mindset with a performer's mindset? McClure found the answer to be a hell of a lot of teamwork. "During my scenes with actor Eric Roberts (who plays my ghostly husband and demon of the hotel), I found my director brain getting in the way of my actor brain. I am trained as a method actor, which means that I try to sink into the role as much as possible, allowing myself to be completely vulnerable, honest, and present in my character. Thankfully, I asked my 2nd Unit Director, Mark Steven Grove, to step in and help take the reins during some of those scenes. That allowed me to relax and stay in character while Mark kept us on track. Teamwork!”
DP Keith Jefferies and director Tane McClure
The celebration of Grove stepping up to the plate is a theme that runs through our conversation, with an overall sense of gratitude for the entire team. As many hats as McClure wore during this production, she is very quick to call out the crew with words of appreciation for every single member who brought this movie to life. Tane McClure, along with executive producers Sylvester Bowen (who plays the role of the quirky Gas Station Attendant) and Nisha Catron (Sally Ferguson, the hippie manager of the hotel), plan on continuing to produce more films together in the future, including Séance Games 2!
Séance Games - Metaxu is now available for pre-order on Apple. The domestic distribution date on Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company, is set for February 13, 2024. It will be released on VOD (TVOD) initially available on both digital and cable VOD platforms for rental and purchase on iTunes, Apple+ TV, and Amazon. Visit the official Séance Games Metaxu website for more information and check out the trailer below.
