Horror film The Review grabs the viewers

A low budget horror short film made across County Durham by an award-winning North East film maker and writer is grabbing attention across the globe.

Dean Midas, who is based at his home in Willington, near Durham, is attracting attention from leading figures in the horror genre – all from a film made for just £50 on his mobile phone.

The Review centres around two young vloggers – actress Eleanor Carter plays Jamie, the camera operator, and local singer Zackri stars as assistant Ethan – when they meet unsettling neighbour Vicki, played by Flic Gibbon.

The additional star of the show is the location, the stunning Treehouse in Crook, which Dean says acts like an extra character, with its atmospheric backdrop. 

Dean also received support from Duncan Thomsen – a multi-award-winning short film director, Emmy-winning editor and the UK’s most widely published AI artist – whose “historic selfies” AI campaign went viral and featured on the Jimmy Fallon show in America.

So far, The Review has reached more than 90,000 views across all platforms and received rave reviews from industry experts. 

Roger L Jackson, better know as Ghostface from The Scream franchise, said: “Two severed thumbs up, another screamer from Dean Midas, it crawls into your head and starts to eat!”

And Dean said word of mouth promotion has helped push the film’s popularity and viewing numbers – and reviewers of The Review have called it “scary as hell” and “raw, tense and unforgettable”.

The film maker is currently working on new projects for the rest of this year, including directing a family-friendly kids’ zombie film called Alfie’s Dream, which has been written by Gordon Hindson.

Dean said: “I’m blown away by the support and reaction to The Review. 

“It is our biggest ever release since we started back in 2019. 

“I want to thank everyone single person who has taken the time to watch it.

“The past few years have been absolutely mind-blowing; from the award wins, to working with Roger L Jackson, the voice of Ghostface, The Eve Suite and the recent success of The Review.

“This has all been done with a mobile phone, a lot of hard work and being around a fantastic team and a bunch of hugely talented North East actors.”

Dean has gained international recognition for his distinctive low-budget filmmaking style and for shooting on his mobile phone and utilising North East talent and locations. 

His first ever short film Legend Of The Chained Oak won awards at the Stoke Your Fires, Portobello and Bram Stoker Festivals, and last year Darkus Magazine named him 'North East Film Maker of the Year,' while music producer Sam Haynes called Dean “the Godfather of Northern horror”.

His more recent horror characters The Rag Dolly, Eve Valentine, Sayer Hicks and Elizabeth Jacobs are building up a huge cult following and last summer, his character Eve Valentine was immortalised with her own room at The Manor House Hotel in West Auckland, which is called The Eve Suite. 

You can follow him via Dean Midas Films and watch his short films via Dean Midas Films - YouTube

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