Los Angeles production company Lesson 1 Entertainment has completed principal photography on The Raking, an independent feature horror film starring Bryan Brewer, Cree Kelly, Allie Rivera, Thatcher Robinson, Marisa Davila and Marshal Hilton (The Bunnyman Massacre), Bloody Disgusting learned.
“The Raking tells the story of a group of college students who set out to debunk an urban legend in Joshua Tree, California for their anthropology thesis, only to find that they become part of the legend themselves.”
Directed by star Brewer from a script he co-wrote with writer and producer Laura Heine, Brewer also produces with Rivera under their Lesson 1 Entertainment banner.
“From the get-go we decided to steer clear of the found-footage genre, and to try to deliver a satisfying, cinematic film with a cool monster at its center, and as a life-long monster fan, I’m hopeful we did just that,” director and co-writer Brewer says of his approach to the micro-budget The Raking.
Designed by SyFy’s “Face/Off” Season 4 contestant Eric Fox of MORBAX FX, the artist says of his approach in creating the titular creature (which is based on the urban legend of The Rake), “It was all practical, and I wanted to deliver something we’ve never seen before in the genre. Also, there’s really very little information that exists on the legend itself, so that allowed me creative license in my design, and once it was on set, I think creature actor Alan Maxon really brought the result to creepy life.”
Horror fans attending the Pasadena, California monster makeup convention Monsterpalooza (running this April 22-24) will be the first to get a sneak peak at Fox’s creation.
The Raking is currently in post-production.