A Fetish of Flesh

We are currently attempting to raise funds for the film on Kickstarter, with pledge rewards ranging from a simple thank you in the end credits, to props from the film, to becoming a victim, to IMDb credits. Visit the link above for more information on the campaign itself.

A Fetish of Flesh began as an idea in 2007. Back then I (Freddie Meade) was a twenty-year-old kid with an obsession for horror films. Not the cheesy $100,000,000.00 budgeted monstrosities you see in theaters nowadays. I fell in love with the golden days of horror, when effects were practical and the only thing digital was finger amputations. I set out to learn the screenwriting craft and write a film that would act as a throwback to the horror films I enjoyed. Horror is the kind of genre that can still be very effective, even on a shoestring budget. Micro-budget masterpieces like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity conjure up scares with little more than dark, grainy visuals and simple practical effects. But, though those films follow the philosophy I appreciate, I am a bigger fan of horror that involves a physical killer and a ton of blood.

I'm not sure how other writers craft a story, but I began with a title and a character named Oswald Tibbs. I am not ashamed to admit that the original story was a real doozy. Nothing truly made sense. But the moment I finished that screenplay, I felt that I had accomplished the first step. I knew the theory that the first draft was to flesh out ideas, but I don't think I took much from that draft except for the Character Oswald. I completed the script on May 13th, 2007. As of this writing on September 23, 2023, 5,977 days have passed. Twelve drafts of Fetish have been written. I am currently working n the final draft of the film, and I am confident that this one will be the best.

I wanted something different, yet familiar. I wanted kills that were brutal and terrifying, yet unique. I wanted something new that would also be a throwback. I wanted THIS film. I am pleased to say that, with the completion of the script at hand, we have moved into other areas of Development, including casting. The Family, for whom I found inspiration in the legend of Sawney Bean, has been immensity popular among theose I have allowed to read the scripts. Casting is already underway for those roles, as well as several others.

Stay tuned for more information.

Photo by Cottonbro Studio showing pivital scene near the end of Fetish

Development of A FETISH OF FLESH

Horror movies tap into our deepest fears, doing their best to scare us silly, yet they are oddly addictive. The beauty, and success, of horror films comes from the fear of the unknown, building suspense and adrenaline in the audience. Luckily for filmmakers, this allows almost anyone interested in the genre to make a thrilling horror movie on any budget, as long as your remember the basic tenants of the genre. As long as you can deliver the thrills, chills, and a great twist, you can make whatever film your heart desires. The only rule is to show them something they have never seen before. Having a lower budget means freedom. Make the film you want to make right now, with a budget you can actually raise. That is what we are trying to do with Fetish.

Currently, we are working on the final draft of the screenplay and looking for potential talent and crew to fill the roles that will help us flesh the story out. We currently have a list of positions on the crew that need. These positions include:

  • Assistant Directors
  • Gaffer
  • Director of Photography/Cinematographer
  • Location Scout
  • Grip
  • Art Manager
  • Storyboarder
  •     ... and more

A Fetish of Flesh had began as an idea around a mental impaired character named Oswald Allen Tibbs, who in later draft became, not only a red herring, but one of the deciding characters of the film. Unlike most horror films, we wanted to take the stereotypical killer and make him an unintentional savior for the film. The tortures he had endured as a child and young adult did not drive him insane like is common in the genre. Instead, it made him strong and willing to help others. From that, we wrote a rough draft that, quite honestly, might have been the worst screenplay ever put to paper. But like all great films, the story began to evolve with each new writing. As it stands today, Fetish has become something entirely different than we had imagined it being when we were kids. But it has, as we have been told, become something both familiar and unique. We hope to bring this film to life and do for horror today what Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Friday the 13th had done in their day.

With help from some amazing backers on Kickstarter, we hope to create a horror revival that brings back the practical effects and story that had once made horror the most popular genre on the planet. Each step we take brings this film closer to being a reality.