cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15945465

A Scottish horror film has finally been released - 17 years after filming first got under way.

The Bench is a grisly slasher where a group of friends take a trip to a remote cabin in Renfrewshire, only to disappear one by one.

However, the production was struck by a host of difficulties, from badly misjudging the Scottish weather’s suitability for filming to money running out half way through.

Writer and director Sean Wilkie told BBC Scotland News that he was a mixture of being “pleased, nervous and relieved” now that The Bench can be seen by the public.

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Filming began in Lochwinnoch in 2007, using a cabin owned by friends of the film’s director of photography.

For indoor filming, the Caves venue in Edinburgh was used, with Drumpellier Country Park used for occasional outdoor shots.

The film has a cast that includes Two Doors Down star Joy McAvoy and Matt McClure from American horror show Penny Dreadful.

“The first two weeks on location were fine but we couldn’t keep that up,” reflects Sean.

“I wish we’d have someone following us all the way though, as it would have made some documentary. Due to the weather and other things we couldn’t finish filming as planned, so we were coming back on odd weekends here and there to complete it.”

That was only the start of the film’s issues. Initial financing had fallen through at an early stage, but Sean decided to “charge ahead” anyway, something he admits now was “probably a mistake.”

The film’s original editor departed, so Sean took on that role as well, and by the time reshoots were needed many of the cast and crew were working on other projects.