Looking to kickstart a feast of gothic horror... from Fife

Hot on the heels of their black and white noir ‘The Black Gloves’, director Lawrie and writer and producer Sarah are back with the next slice of Gothic horror.

Automata, the fifth feature from the duo, is a lavish affair with a vibrant colour palette that harks back to the 20th century Italian films of Argento and Bava.

The film tells the chilling story of an antiques expert sent to authenticate a 300-year-old clockwork doll, known as the Infernal Princess, which has a notorious history.

He soon comes under its corrupting influence, and, along with his stepdaughter Rose, finds himself the target of dark forces beyond his control...

The film stars Hex Studios’ regulars Jamie Scott Gordon (The Black Gloves, Bonejangles) and Alexandra Nicole Hulme (Lord Of Tears, The Black Gloves), alongside Erich Redman (The Danish Girl, Woman In Gold), Jonathan Hansler (The Devil’s Business) and rising star Victoria Lucie (Dartmoor Killing).

Mr Brewster, who is in the process of setting up his own community hub film studio in Kirkcaldy, said: “Automata is a wild, Gothic thrill-ride inspired by the decadence of Ken Russell’s Gothic, as well as the sensual expressionism of Argento’s Suspiria and Bava’s Black Sabbath.

“It’s by far the most ambitious film we’ve produced, with a truly epic story that switches between the 1700s and the present day to reveal the truth behind the curse of the ‘Infernal Princess’.

“All in it has taken us around three years to make and we filmed around Fife and Scotland as well as in Wales.

We went to some very interesting locations like the House of Dun at Montrose for its 1700s Baroque-style architecture, and also Mary King’s close in Edinburgh which we had to use after hours, so it was quite spooky and atmospheric.

“It was very challenging at times, but ultimately very rewarding.”

Sarah Daly made reference to the film’s more edgy themes.

“The film explores how someone’s idea of love can be perverted by experience, and how that corruption can echo through the ages. It goes to some very dark places,” she explained.
Automata is an international co-production between Hex Studios and partners Dark Dunes Productions, in association with Needle’s Eye Productions, and producers Charles Stiefel, Nick Ford, Greg Orsi, Richard Pate, Rhiannon L. Crothers, Matt Orefice, Morten Wisting and Zeke Hanson.The film is scheduled for release in December this year.

To help finance the project, the film-makers have launched one of the country’s biggest Kickstarter campaigns, offering pre-orders of the film, plush toys of their now infamous Owlman character, credits, and other memorabilia to help fund the post-production of the film.

It runs until May 9 and aims to raise around £80,000, with the current total standing at just under £60,000.

For more information click here.