A frightening horror comedy is being filmed in Orillia this summer.
Oscar Csekey is directing the movie that shares a similar plot to the 1993 comedy Dazed and Confused.
“Our main characters are a mix of college and high school students,” he explained. “You start by following these characters for one night and are just enjoying the time.”
As the night progresses, the story slowly descends into a dark and chaotic horror movie with a bit of comedy and a few twists. While Csekey, 20, has been making short films his whole life, this will be his first feature film.
“I was slowly ramping up to this big one for the past year and a half,” he explained. “I realized this was too much of a big story to even put into one hour.”
Csekey, a Twin Lakes Secondary School graduate, spent the last year writing and planning out the film before shooting this summer. The cast of around 50 people has been filming over the last two months. Filming is set to officially wrap up in September.
“I’d like to have the film come out at the end of May or beginning of June next year,” Csekey explained. “That’s my hope.”
The film, which is using the working title Anti-Nos, is turning out as well as Csekey had hoped, but it’s taking longer than expected.
“It’s such an ambitious project,” he said. “We were planning on just getting it done in one month and now we are on month number three.”
While the project has been tiring for Csekey, he and the cast are enjoying the process.
“It’s been really fun,” he said. “I’ve appreciated the help we’ve been getting from Orillia, too, because they have let me use several buildings and establishments to film for nothing, which is really kind of them.”
Csekey says it’s taken a community to make his film come to fruition.
“I’ve had a few downtown Orillia shop owners act in it because they were interested in the project,” he explained. “I’ve had a few videographers from the Orillia area lend me gear. It’s really been a group effort.”
Once the film is ready to be premiered, Csekey plans on sharing it with the community.
“We filmed at the Sunset Barrie Drive-In,” he explained. “I’d like to premiere it there.”
In its last month of filming, Csekey encourages Orillians to be a part of the project.
“For the entire rest of the summer you will see us downtown and driving around,” he said. “If you ever see me and you want to help out, feel free to come over and hold the boom mic, hand me lenses, act in it as an extra, or whatever you want.”
He suggests anyone who wants to keep up with progress or, potentially, be in the film to connect with him on Instagram: @oscarcsekey
