Horror film award for young Brighton film-maker (From The Argus)
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Horror film award for young Brighton film-maker
4:10pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News By Kimberly Middleton, Acting chief reporter
Liam Hooper (blonde, centre) holding the award for his film, which he won at the British Horror Film Festival with members of the cast of Darkwood Manor
A talented teenage filmmaker has won a top movie gong after screening his epic in London’s Leicester Square.
The film, which features comedy legend Steve Coogan, impressed the judges at the British Horror Film Festival, winning the title of best student film.
But Liam Hooper, 18, of Brighton, said he cringed when he saw Darkwood Manor on the big screen and no longer rates his first movie.
The former Brit School student said the prize was “totally unexpected”
He said: “To be honest I don’t think the film is that good at all. When I was watching it I cringed at certain points.”
He started making the film, which took three years to produce, when he was 14.
It follows a group of Dorothy Stringer High School pupils, where Liam was a student, looking after a haunted house for a £50,000 reward.
Passing a note to a mutual friend of Steve Coogan’s got the Alan Partridge star on board in a cameo role.
After winning the award, Liam is now penning a new horror feature film with well known director Jeff Simpson.
Jeff invited the young movie maker to the premiere of his film A Liar’s Autobiography – the Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman in Leicester Square this week.
He rubbed shoulders with movie stars Ralph Fiennes, commenting it was odd seeing him with a nose after starring as Voldemort in Harry Potter, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin.
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The teenager who lives at Stanmer Villas said: “It was the first premiere I have been to, other than for my own film last year, which had red carpets but wasn’t quite the same.
“It’s given me something to aim for to eventually get my film in front of a big crowd like that.”
The new horror feature film will have biblical elements, with Liam comparing it to Silence of the Lambs.
“It’s at the very early stages of pre-production at the moment, but will feature a sinister scheme.”
But before he gets to work on the script, first Liam is producing a music video for pop band Scouting for Girls who had a hit with She’s So Lovely.
To get his film seen, Liam has “shoved it in front of as many famous people’s faces as possible”.
“You can be talented but if no one can see it your talent will go to waste.
“I went for dinner with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and was showing them clips of my film at the table.”
Liam’s proud mumTrisha Hubbard said: “He’s got his hand in quite a few pies now, he’s just getting on so well.”
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