French production company, Indeprod, and Lisbon-based Luckymatrix have signed an innovative co-production deal for the simultaneous filming of two €1 million ($1.1 million) budget feature films in Portugal. The 20-day shoot is planned for the third quarter of 2024. The films, 'Mr. Morgan' and 'Behind,' are both auteur-driven, French language genre films - a slasher horror pic and a paranormal thriller, respectively.
The co-producers are seeking funding from the CNC and French broadcasters and plan to present both projects to Portugal's cash rebate scheme, which offers up to a 30% rebate when the call opens this spring. They believe that the twin shoot will generate economies of scale, lowering the cost per pic by 30%. The creative team, crew, and equipment will stay in the same location, while shooting in two nearby locations - a lighthouse and a period building. They are currently scouting locations along the coast of Portugal.
Phil Ox, the Luckymatrix producer, highlighted the unique aspects of each film. 'Mr. Morgan' is described as an original, bloody, and terrifying slasher horror film, while 'Behind' is a spine-chilling paranormal thriller. 'Mr. Morgan' follows a group of delinquent youths who rob an old man living in a mansion, only to realize they've messed with the wrong person. 'Behind' revolves around a reality show production team that awakens actual supernatural forces during filming.
Emmanuel Saez, the producer at Indeprod, explained that 'Behind' was inspired by U.S. reality shows about psychological ghost hunters, with the idea that reality may overtake fiction at some point. Saez emphasized the importance of the scripts and concepts behind the projects, rather than just making genre films.
Indeprod and Luckymatrix are also preparing for the upcoming action thriller, 'White City,' which explores a new municipal police force's efforts to quell inner-city riots. The producers plan to incorporate new technologies, post-production tools, AI, and eco-friendly practices to create a sustainable shoot.
The collaboration between Indeprod and Luckymatrix aims to revolutionize feature film production by combining productivity and creativity typically seen in high-quality TV series. The producers are leveraging the cost-saving benefits of the twin shoot in Portugal, expecting a boost of up to one-third per film, further enhanced by the 30% cash rebate.
Indeprod, known for producing 'Roads of Fear,' is currently co-producing the period cop show drama series 'Décade' with Tarantula in Belgium. Luckymatrix, led by producer Phil Ox, is working on various projects, including a biopic feature film on journalist Peter Millar and developing independent music and video streaming platforms with Alphanso technology.
