FIFE, SCOTLAND - When the Make-A-Wish Foundation reached out with a unique request, Scottish horror filmmaker Lawrie Brewster knew he had to say yes.
Rebecca Hopkins, from Girvan, Scotland, is a courageous young girl living with a serious illness and a deep passion for horror films, particularly 1990s classics like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Her heartfelt wish was to appear in a real horror movie. With a little coordination and a lot of heart, Lawrie Brewster and his producing partner Sarah Daly, along with the entire team at Hex Studios, made that dream a reality.
The film in question, Mr Whispers, is a retro-inspired supernatural horror in the spirit of The Blair Witch Project. It follows a group of filmmaking students, led by Kathryn Hale (played by rising British horror star Megan Tremethick), who break into an abandoned cinema to investigate a sinister urban legend. The ghostly figure of Mr Whispers, a porcelain-faced spectre said to be responsible for the disappearances of local children, forms the terrifying heart of the story.
But for Rebecca, none of that was too scary. Accompanied by her mum, she travelled to Hex Studios in Fife, home of the British Horror Studio project, for a full day of filming.
Lawrie Brewster and Sarah Daly founded the studio with the goal of reviving British horror through grassroots, community-driven filmmaking. When the Make-A-Wish Foundation came calling, they were delighted to open their doors.
Producer Jed Shepherd (Host) first alerted Brewster to the challenge the Foundation was facing. They needed a studio close to Rebecca's home, able to accommodate her health needs safely, and actively in production.
"Since the heyday of Hammer and Amicus, there hasn't been a dedicated British horror studio operating from permanent premises for over 40 years. We knew we were in a position to help," said Lawrie Brewster, founder of Hex Studios.
And help they did. The entire cast and crew volunteered their time to support Rebecca's wish. Megan Tremethick took charge of Rebecca's make-up and costume, helping her transform into a ghostly character for a haunting scene filmed in the studio's atmospheric stone chambers. Co-stars Dorian Ashbourne, Novarro Ramon, and Sam MacMillan were all on set, offering encouragement and creating memories Rebecca and her family will never forget.