This week at Austella, we\u2019re going to take a short break from reporting the latest AR and VR developments to share the exciting news that Austella scriptwriter Mark Brendan will soon begin shooting for his post-apocalyptic supernatural horror film, Off Grid.<\/p>\n
Off Grid will be the second short film for Dark Matter Films, run by director Carl Timms and writer Mark Brendan; Dark Matter\u2019s first film, the zombie short\u00a0Still<\/a>, appeared at 25 film festivals and won nine awards, so big things are expected this time around.<\/p>\n James Cosmo signs for the lead role<\/strong><\/p>\n Perhaps the most exciting news to date is that Games of Thrones star James Cosmo has signed to play the lead role in the supernatural thriller. The award-winning actor is known for his roles in blockbusters such as Braveheart, Trainspotting, Troy, The Chronicles of Narnia and Wonder Woman, so getting him on-board is undoubtedly a huge coup for the team.<\/p>\n Commenting on the casting, Director Carl Timms, said: \u201cI couldn\u2019t be happier that James Cosmo has joined us for Off Grid. From the moment I read the script, I thought he\u2019d be perfect for the role. James is that kind of actor who can play both terrifying and gentle with equal aplomb \u2013 a combination of qualities that make his character Tanner a force of nature.\u201d<\/p>\n He will be joined by British horror actress Kate Davies-Speak, best known for her role in the award-winning sci-fi show Horizon; Alison Steadman, a BAFTA Best Actress nominee; and Marc Baylis, who played Rob Donovan in more than 300 episodes of Coronation Street.<\/p>\n We are delighted to sponsor the film\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Part of the film\u2019s budget is being raised by public crowdfunding on the website Indiegogo. With a long history of working with Mark at Austella, we are delighted to be able to\u00a0cover the cost of lighting and power<\/a>\u00a0on the shoot and cannot wait to see the finished article for ourselves. With shooting beginning on location in Worcestershire in May, hopefully we won\u2019t have to wait too long!<\/p>\n