What is Worm?

You seem to have finally found equilibrium; a stable job, a partner who loves you and a strong mental fortitude. Just when it seems as though life is perfect, the past creeps up on you in the most mysterious and supernatural of ways. This is what happens to Bella when her deceased high-school sweetheart begins to communicate with her via a series of emails during her one year anniversary in Anglesey.

Worm is a psychological folk-horror film in the mould of 70s British Cinema. Back then, the concern came from industrialisation overtaking the British pastoral. However, in 2023 the anxiety comes from a different kind of technology overtaking. With AI so prominent in our current discourse, the film takes a deep dive into this modern fear as well as the tale as old as time of losing a loved one and the guilt that may arise from it.

Where are we filming Worm?

Anglesey, Wales. The islands' vast landscapes, rocky beaches, and rolling hills make this part of the country feel like the very end of the world. Steeped in a rich ancient history as well as its association with Druid Culture, it is the perfect setting for a modern British Horror.

How are we making Worm?

The film will not have a traditional script. Instead, there will be a ‘scriptment’ acting more as a roadmap. Leading up to the shoot, the director will workshop dialogue with the principal cast to make the process as smooth as possible. Holding authenticity as the ultimate goal with the actors finding joy in the freedom of their craft.

Why Invest in Worm?

With Worm, we are offering you a slice of the cake. If you are to put money in, you are doing so on the same basis as all of the founders, therefore there is no premium. We have already raised £14k and will be hoping to reach our final goal of £30k. 

For us, this is not just a charitable endeavour. If you want to put a large sum of money in, we believe it’s important you get something out of it. We will be doing everything in our power to make a film that has both artistic integrity as well commercial viability. As a genre, low-budget horror has often been a comparatively safe financial bet, especially since the dawn of digital filmmaking. In 2022, the Canadian experimental horror film Skinamarink was shot on an initial budget of $15 dollars. As of the time of writing, the film has just passed $2 million worldwide. This was through a smart festival strategy and exceptional word of mouth. Although Worm is a different kind of horror film, we believe that now more than ever there is a hunger for inventive genre movies which say something about us. If you want more information on how the shares would work or simply our long-term plan, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Moreover, if joining the film as a shareholder is not something of interest and you simply want to support a bunch of independent filmmakers, that is also fantastic and you can select which reward scheme suits you best.

Where is the Budget Going?

Worm has serious artistic potential even on a shoestring budget of £30k. Taking inspiration from low-budget horror films such as the John Cassavetes Award Winner Krisha, we are embarking on the principles set by the Duplass Brothers philosophy of filming with ‘What we Own’. We have the location, we have the gear,  we have the editing software. And we have the story. The £30k would see everyone paid for their contribution as well as cover travel, food, contingency and the future festival run of the film. A further breakdown of the budget can be provided.

Sizzle Reel: North West Wales

Our Team:

Ned Caderni: Director

Ned is an award-winning director and writer from London.  His last short, Light Fantastic, won Best Film at the 2021 Reale Film Festival in Milan and was shown at the annual Independent Short Awards in Los Angeles. Ned has experience working under some of Britain's leading filmmakers, including Josie Rourke and Michael Winterbottom. Furthermore, he has written and directed for Unit9, Campaign’s Tech Company of the Year 2021. Ned's film, Hey Katie, was shown at the Kino London Film Festival, an official BIFA Qualifying Festival.

Poppy O'Hagan: Producer

Poppy is a producer from London. Her aim is to engage both audiences and crew in narratives that explore themes of family ties, love and human bonds. She currently has a short film on the festival circuit and is now working at Jeremy Thomas’ Recorded Picture Company. With a passion for languages, Poppy has a bachelors in French and Italian and since graduating, she has worked in London, Paris and Amsterdam on various projects such as FX’s Atlanta and Netflix’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover by assisting actors and directors on high end feature films and TV series.

Edward Glynne Jones: Director of Photography

Based in London with Welsh roots, Ed has constantly tried to balance the energy from city life and the meditative nature of the countryside. With a love of shooting on his tiny compact digital camera, Ed enrolled at the Met Film School, where he graduated with a BA in Practical Filmmaking. He was the director of photography on Edward Zorab’s film “youth in bed”, which was shortlisted for a Student Bafta. Happy to embrace any style of filmmaking, Ed appreciates that independent style should never be pigeonholed by any particular look or genre. Off the back of several music videos, and BIFA qualifying Short Films, Ed and Ned don’t just share a similar name but a similar mindset to making films.

Our Cast

Freddie Acaster - www.spotlight.com/6772-6724-4981

Joshua Dowden - www.spotlight.com/6371-0161-0370