Young Hunters: The Beast of Bevendean
Young Hunters: The Beast of Bevendean is a British children’s adventure film directed by Ewan Gorman and starring Aaron Swartz, Jonathan Hansler, Brenock O'Connor, Toby Murray and Julie Hoult. The plot concerns the search by two boys for the mysterious Beast of Bevendean.
| Young Hunters: The Beast of Bevendean | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Ewan Gorman |
| Produced by | Steph DePalma |
| Screenplay by | Ewan Gorman |
| Starring | Aaron Swartz Jonathan Hansler Brenock O'Connor Toby Murray Julie Hoult |
| Music by | Nigel Samways |
| Cinematography | Lucas Tucknott |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £100,000 |
Plot
When something kills Mr Harper’s dog and he’s found terrified near the wood, the blame is placed on an escaped big cat. Two eleven-year-old friends, Raffi and Sam, set out on a mission to capture it. But this is no ordinary beast and they are not the only hunters in the forest. What starts as a bit of fun becomes a deadly game of hide and seek as they discover the true nature of the animal, and its links to the shadowy Bio-Corporation. The boys now rely only on each other in a desperate struggle for survival.
Cast
- Aaron Swartz as Robert Hannigan
- Jonathan Hansler as Albert
- Brenock O'Connor as Sam Aldrington
- Julie Hoult as Claire Aldrington
- Toby Murray as Raphael Greaves (Raffi)
- Tommy O'Neill as Michael Naylor
- Maitland Chandler as Mr. Harper
- Aida Emeliyanova as Ivana Pixner
- Lewis Allcock as Malcolm Cooke
- Daniel Brown as Scientist #1
- Lucien Morgan as Scientist #2
- Darren Luckin as PC James Galloway
- Nick Schofield as PC Lee Hampton
- Rob Lyndon as PC Kevin Lyle
- Hester Kent as Nurse
- Natasha North as PC Susan Fairchild
Production
The film was written and directed by Ewan Gorman who adapted the screenplay from his short story "Code Name Zantari". The original inspiration for the story came from an article in Brighton's Argus newspaper about the Beast of Bevendean.[1] Gorman researched several big cat sightings in Britain in pre-production. The feisty and instinctual character of Sam is based on his step son.[2]
In the first draft of the script, Mr Hannigan was competing for the X Prize, in a legitimate bid to win the corporate space race competition. This concept however is only hinted at in the final film.
The producer, Steph DePalma, and director auditioned over 500 boys for the roles of Raffi and Sam at open auditions in the British Engineerium in Hove.
The film was shot on location in the city of Brighton and Hove and the surrounding East Sussex countryside. The woodland scenes were shot in Stanmer Wood, Lake Wood in Uckfield, and on the Plashett Estate just outside Isfield. Principal photography began on 30 July 2012 and was completed on 31 August. Four days of additional filming were required and the shooting wrapped in March 2013.
Music
Nigel Samways wrote and performed the original score, using a blend of natural acoustics and electronic instruments. The soundtrack also contains two songs by the electropop duo Mollyhaus; Nightmare Hunters Theme tune, and Shapeshifter.
References
- "The Argus inspires a big cat thriller". The Argus (Brighton). 13 August 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- Kostrzewski, Ian (16 August 2013). "If you go into the woods today..." Brighton and Hove Independent. p. 11. Retrieved 5 November 2013.