London-based production company, Matchbox Pictures, has recently experienced success with the international release of their horror film, Devil Seed. “Produced locally and [sold] globally”, Devil Seed has soared to the top of the itunes Canada list, and achieved a spot on the most popular horror-genre list, beating out Hollywood blockbusters.
Matchbox Pictures is one of London’s thriving content creation companies whose work is attracting international recognition. Their recent release was filmed in a house on Princess Avenue, using a team comprised nearly entirely of local talent. Matchbox Picture’s first feature film was released August 7th, with distribution deals in over 40 countries, including Canada, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The film was also featured at Cannes May 16-17.
Working together for fifteen years, the partners at Matchbox Pictures focus on creating horror and thriller films that have a high-end look and feel. Shooting in London, Ontario, allows the company to do that for a cost advantage. According to the producer of Devil Seed, Matchbox Pictures’ Gary Elmer, “we make doubly sure that every dollar ends up on the screen. [Being able to do that] is a huge advantage over shooting in Toronto.”
Devil Seed’s international success is significant for London. Elmer explains that “film making is a relatively new activity in [London]. There have been movie segments shot here, lots of commercials, corporate videos, and television produced here, but this is the first movie to be completely shot, edited, and produced here that has had major international exposure.” Elmer states that the City of London has been supportive of the film’s production, and that “the City’s departments are agile, friendly, and professional.” Such support and success elevates content creation, which attracts and utilizes sophisticated, local talent and resources. Content creation in London is becoming an industry within itself, turning out high-quality and professional products for global consumption. Between video games and web development, high-end marketing campaigns, works of art, print, television, and now film production, London is quickly becoming the location of choice for content creators and other industry professionals who are seeking a different way to produce and market products and entertainment.
That “something different,” is, according to Elmer, “freshness”. “There is a lot of talent and enthusiasm here in London,” he explains. “London provides everything that is needed on a daily basis for a quarter of the combined costs of a larger center, and the things it does not have can be brought in as needed. For us, it is a great business decision to produce films here.”
Matchbox Pictures’ next project has the working title of Kingdom Come. The horror film will be about a group of individuals who wake up in an abandoned hospital and discover that they are being stalked by a sinister force. Principal photography is slated to begin in London next spring.
