The North Okanagan’s Field of Screams is adding an exciting new element to this year’s haunted corn maze.
In keeping with the theme ‘Theatre of Terror,’ Field of Screams will be showing a feature length locally shot horror anthology film at Historic O’Keefe Ranch.
Ride of the Night executive producer Matt Brown teamed up with Riley Gaboury, Ethan Daoust, Ryan McIntosh, Alex Delisle, Kegan Rimmer, and Jacob Froese to create a story that expands on a previous short film he and Kelly Veltri made years earlier, entitled The Scarecrow.
They set out to make a more ambitious and technically sound feature film that’s scarier than its predecessor and gives Field of Screams a horror story with its own villain to rival Jason, Freddy and the gang.
“I knew this project was very ambitious, to say the least, but it also was an opportunity that presented itself that my soul couldn’t say ‘no’ to,” said Brown, adding that the budget of the film has been comprised of a combination of actors investing in the movie as a “bootcamp experience,” as well as crowd source funding.
The crew members donated their time and O’Keefe Ranch provided the backdrop for the film.
In order to fully fund the movie, Ride of the Night has a kickstarter campaign that has a reward for those who help.
“Budget and money seem to be the only thing holding the brilliant talent of the Okanagan back from just doing it. There are so many people in the Okanagan that are thirsty to be in movies, make movies, learn about movies and especially with the industry growing here, this was a why not situation,” said Brown.
“Because so many people donated their time or resources, we were able to move ahead to make the movie. The structure of how we made and funded this film was what made it possible. Now we’re asking for the help of our Okanagan community to get us across the finish line.”
While patrons are waiting in line for the Field of Screams this year, a large movie screen overhead will be playing Ride of the Night. The film will play every night of Field of Screams to tens of thousands of people.
Field of Screams opens Sept. 30, with four mazes operating. Tickets and information can be found at fosokanagan.com.
The film follows four teens, Hannah, Sy, Brittany, and Chad, as they make their way to the Field of Screams event on one fateful night. The teens take wrong turns and come across strangers who spin horrific tales of what their destination may have in store for them. This doesn’t stop them from driving through the night to make their destination and fight for their lives in twisted mazes and sets that are carved in the corn.
A short film accompanies the tales of each of the strangers they encounter, creating a backstory to the movie’s villain, a witch who has become fed up. She uses her craft to take her anger out by releasing her husband, Harold — who’s dead — to do her dirty work.
These shorter stories follow the Witch from her school house days where she learns and develops her powers to her current doings today. The film is a true ensemble piece with some very wild characters sprinkled throughout.
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