TAMPA, Fla. — A recent article may have called Florida the least haunted state in the nation, but a group of filmmakers with serious credentials within the horror genre begs to differ. They’re eager to return production on a terrifying new series of digital short films that was stymied by the coronavirus pandemic, and they couldn’t envision creating anywhere else than the Tampa Bay area.
What You Need To Know
- A group of veteran horror filmmakers is creating a new digital series in Tampa Bay
- Production on the series, called "Black Veil: Tales from the Southern Gothic," was halted during the pandemic
- "Blair Witch Project" co-director Dan Myrick opened his Power Station studio in Ybor City last August
“Many of us grew up here in Florida. I grew up on Longboat Key, went to University of Central Florida,” says Dan Myrick. “This entire series is rooted in that Southern Gothic style that we all grew up with as kids. There’s a certain vibe and tone to that genre that we thought would be well-suited to Florida.”
Myrick is best known for co-directing “The Blair Witch Project,” the low-budget 1999 feature film that became a cultural phenomenon and kick-started the still-viable “found footage” style of horror movie. He made headlines last summer when he, along with fellow filmmakers Kristian Krempel and Doug Fox, opened production hub The Power Station in Ybor City and announced they would be filming a scary new project around Hillsborough County.
That project turned out to be “Black Veil: Tales from the Southern Gothic,” a series of six 15-minute episodes conceived to be watched either one-by-one, or together as a single viewing experience. The episodes are deeply influenced by the feel of the South and its more darkly evocative tales and aesthetics.
“I have one that kind of falls into the category of a ghost story, but actually turns it on its head, dealing with issues of race,” says Tom McLaughlin, who wrote for the cult-iconic “Friday The 13th” movie series.
In McLaughlin’s episode, a woman on a road trip to Florida from New York encounters a “classic Southern Gothic mansion and is faced with a choice to make, obviously with horrific ramifications.
“I can’t envision shooting it anywhere else but the South, and I’m really looking forward to that,” he says.
Another installment from stuntman and screenwriter Danny McBride—who co-created the vampires-versus-werewolves “Underworld” franchise starring Kate Beckinsale—is inspired in part by the legend of Ponce de Leon’s search for the Fountain of Youth.
This team of horror veterans, which also includes “Final Destination” creator Jeffrey Reddick, was able to complete the first “Black Veil” episode before the pandemic shut down film production in Florida. Titled “Camera Obscura,” it was shot primarily in Plant City and concerns a cursed camera and the sins of the past. (You can view the teaser here.)
Myrick is unsure when they’ll be able to get back to production; while everyone is excited to continue working on “Black Veil,” the group—as well as the Tampa Hillsborough Film & Digital Media Commission—are taking COVID-19 extremely seriously, and have adopted a wait-and-see approach.
“I would rather wait a little bit longer until things are more secure, and we can protect our investors and make sure everyone is safe on set and the community in general, rather than rushing into something half-cocked,” he says. “When it’s safe to go back and we all feel confident that we can employ the level of production we need to get what we want onscreen, we will be the first ones out there rolling cameras. That day is coming. It’s coming fairly soon.”
When that day does come, the team is certain they will continue to work around the Hillsborough County area. Myrick is quick to sing the praises of the area’s multiple and varied cinegenic locations, as well as the relationship they’ve fostered with the commission and its commissioner, Tyler Martinolich.
“Tampa and Hillsborough, in particular, have been very gracious,” he says. “Tyler and the film commission have been incredibly accommodating as far as in-kind resources as well as incentives to get us to shoot here. It’s been a great symbiotic relationship.”
That relationship, as well as what he sees as a deep and undiscovered pool of local and regional talent, loomed large in his decision to open The Power Station in the area. According to producer Doug Fox, with the exception of a few key positions, the entire team of 30 to 35 people who were working on “Black Veil” before the shutdown were local.
“They were all amazing,” he says. “We had a blast and so we’re going to keep it that way.”
“We’re making a real effort not only to bring production to Florida because it’s really accommodating but Hillsborough because I don't think a lot of people realize how great it is for filmmaking,” Myrick adds. “Tampa is really well primed to be the next big production hub in the southeast.”
For Jeffrey Reddick, whose forthcoming full-length horror feature “Don’t Look Back” just debuted a new trailer, it’s also a chance to use the group’s clout to help other up-and-coming filmmakers in the area get noticed.
“One of the things that inspired us to go to Florida was this homegrown thing,” he says. “We all have this feeling as creatives who’ve had some success that we want to give back to the community we came from. There are so many talented people in Florida that don’t have access to the people and connections we have, so we really wanted to make Florida a hub for creative people because we know the talent is down there.
“This was a very personal choice when we started talking about this as well, building up the Florida film community.”