On Saturday 1st November, filmmakers Lawrie Brewster and Sarah Daly hosted a prestigious black-tie event at the ornate Pathhead Halls in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, to officially launch The B-Team, a new branch of the British Horror Studio led by rising star Megan Tremethick and Paul William Kelly. The town, now synonymous with independent horror film production in the UK, provided the perfect backdrop for this cinematic unveiling.
Leading the charge is The British Horror Studio, a consortium of production companies and charities including the recently revived Amicus Productions, Hex Studios and Fife Creative Studios.
The event was hosted by established film producers Lawrie Brewster and Sarah Daly, who have achieved international success with numerous horror feature films. It marked the launch of their new venture, a production imprint titled The B-Team, comprising a collective of long-time collaborators and creatives from within the British Horror Studio network.
The new studio is fronted by rising star actress Megan Tremethick, recently dubbed the “Vivien Leigh of Indie Horror”, alongside producer and administrator Paul William Kelly. The pair introduced The B-Team to an audience of journalists, artists and notable figures from the British film scene.
With its distinctly vintage classic Hollywood aesthetic and recent shifts in studio branding, the British Horror Studio has embraced a romantic and theatrical identity that stands in contrast to the exploitative or cynical tone often associated with modern horror.
The B-Team follows this ethos while introducing its own focus, described in speeches by Tremethick and Kelly.
Miss Tremethick said:
“The B-Team is inspired by the spirit of Tigon Productions, that bold, arthouse, cult edge of 1960s British cinema. We will follow in the footsteps of the British Horror Studio by championing a return to Romanticism and classic cinema, with a special focus on the surreal, the subversive and the transgressive.”
Mr Kelly added:
“Our aim is to create smaller, more experimental feature films, artist-led works that give filmmakers the opportunity to collaborate with the British Horror Studio and to forge the next generation of British storytellers. Not stories shaped by fleeting trends or the whims of pop culture, but by the proud traditions of British theatre, Gothic art and Romantic sensibilities. Artist-led. Bold. Timeless.”
During the evening, three feature films were officially announced as part of The B-Team’s first production slate:
The first, a 1930s-inspired anachronistic horror-romance, will be directed by Irish filmmaker Tom Staunton and stars Megan Tremethick alongside Novarro Ramon. The project draws influence from the Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier film Fire Over England.
The second is a psychological horror rooted in Norse history and influenced by Night of the Hunter. It will be directed by actor and stage combat coordinator Calum Paul.
The third, titled Meow!, is a stylised 1990s pursuit-horror and the directorial debut of rising filmmaker Dorian Todd. It follows a group of teenagers on the run from an elusive, cat-like creature.
Also in attendance, British Horror Studio veteran Stephen Corrall was honoured with the award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, from the Glowfare Horror Film Festival. He received the award on stage from Megan Tremethick, to enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Lawrie Brewster spoke about the launch:
“Our B-Team event was a valuable opportunity to visualise the cultural shift within our studio. We are making a direct move towards stylised and anachronistic filmmaking that rejects detached urban drama in favour of romance and melodrama.
As a boutique studio, we serve audiences who want more from horror than disposable pop culture. They want something magical, emotional and lasting.
Our films are not made for hashtags, they are made to be remembered. What we are starting now in Fife, a place often overlooked, will change the history of independent British genre film forever.”
While celebrating the launch of The B-Team, Hex Studios and The British Horror Studio also teased three additional feature films based on 19th-century literary works, to be formally announced soon.
The B-Team has already completed two feature films, Mr Whispers and Chronicles of Depression, both now in post-production. Meanwhile, the British Horror Studio is completing several projects, including Black Chariot, For We Are Many 2, Sawney I and II, The Slave and the General and Spoiling You, all set for release next year.
Earlier this year, in partnership with Amicus Productions, the studio released In the Grip of Terror, the first Amicus film in over 50 years, as well as the dark medieval epic The Reign of Queen Ginnarra. Both films helped cement the rise of Megan Tremethick, whose directorial debut became the most successful female-led horror Kickstarter campaign of all time.
Hollywood figures have privately reached out to congratulate the team, offering support and guidance. Much of the studio’s success is credited to producer and artist Sarah Daly, whose work has screened at Sundance, been praised by Robert Redford and performed by Channing Tatum, Anne Hathaway and Gary Oldman.
That such a studio exists quietly in Fife, a place once defined by coal mining and linoleum manufacture, might surprise many. Yet it appears to be the birthplace of a revival in British film romanticism reminiscent of the Old Vic era and the legacy of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.
Whether this bold direction will lead to lasting success is yet to be seen, but the ambition and courage behind it are undeniable.
Follow The Journey
You can follow The B-Team on Instagram, or join the British Horror Studio Patreon, which offers free community updates. The British Horror Studio is also on Instagram and Facebook.
For more on Megan Tremethick, visit her Instagram or Facebook pages. Sarah Daly can be found on Instagram, and Lawrie Brewster is active on Facebook.