📰 Deadline
Owen Ashford Sets 'Lights Out' Feature Adaptation, Casting Underway
Just weeks after wrapping production on his upcoming independent drama in Boston, actor, producer, and filmmaker Owen Ashford is already preparing his next project.
Ashford and his production company, Second Take Films, have set in motion a feature adaptation of Lights Out, the viral horror short film that surpassed 30 million views last year.
The project will reunite Ashford with his creative collaborator and director Matt Rogers, with whom he previously worked on the indie phenomenon Paranormal Activity.
Production is scheduled to begin filming on April 3 in Georgia, while casting for the main roles opened a day ago through the platform Backstage.
The project's rapid turnaround has drawn attention, considering that Ashford only wrapped filming on his Boston-based drama just days ago.
Second Take Films has recently gained notoriety following a string of well-received short films on the festival circuit, including projects selected at Sundance and the short film Paperman, which is currently in contention during awards season.
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📰 Variety
'Lights Out': Owen Ashford Turning Viral Horror Short Into Feature Film
Owen Ashford is once again betting on the horror genre.
The actor and producer is developing a feature-length adaptation of Lights Out, a viral short film that accumulated more than 30 million views online.
The project will be directed by Matt Rogers, Ashford's creative partner and the director behind Paranormal Activity, the indie hit that helped launch both of their careers.
The film will be produced under the banner of Second Take Films, the company founded by Ashford that has recently attracted attention on the independent circuit thanks to several award-winning short films.
Filming is scheduled to begin in April in Georgia.
The production is currently in the casting process for the main roles.
…
📰 Collider
Owen Ashford Moves Quickly From Drama to Horror With 'Lights Out' Feature
Ashford doesn't appear to be wasting any time.
The actor and producer has just wrapped production on an independent drama in Boston and is already preparing his next project: a feature-length adaptation of the viral short film Lights Out.
The project will once again reunite him with director Matt Rogers, with whom he worked on the indie success Paranormal Activity.
The film is expected to carry an approximate budget of $6 million and will begin filming in April.
…
POV Odessa A'zion
I kept scrolling through my phone as I finished reading the Deadline article. Then I opened the one from Variety. After that, the one from Collider. All three were basically saying the same thing, just with their own tone. The news kept echoing in my head while I processed it, still half-asleep.
Owen Ashford.
Again.
I set the phone down on the pillow for a few seconds and stared up at the ceiling of my apartment with a slightly lazy expression. I hadn't been awake long and my brain was still booting up, but even so it was hard not to think about the same thing.
That guy moved at an absurd speed.
Just a few days ago he'd been shooting a drama in Boston, something completely different from horror, and now he already had another movie in motion. Not just in development. No. It was already in pre-production, with casting open and filming scheduled for April.
"What the hell?" I muttered without thinking.
I grabbed the phone again and opened Twitter.
The news was already circulating quite a bit. It wasn't just a single article buried on Deadline. Several indie film accounts were sharing it, some talking about the original short, others about the movie's budget, and many commenting on how quickly Owen had been moving ever since he appeared on the indie scene.
Between those two roles alone there were probably thousands of submissions. A lead role in a mid-budget horror film produced by a filmmaker who had been generating buzz online, at festivals, and elsewhere, of course every actress trying to break through and still waiting for that leap would throw themselves into the audition pool.
I left Twitter and opened YouTube to watch the short film again. This time from a different perspective, knowing it was becoming a movie.
The idea was simple, but very good. The entity that only appears when the lights go out. That concept worked extremely well. It didn't need a huge mythology or complicated explanations. Just one clear rule and good execution.
Now it was turning into a feature film.
I stared at the screen for a moment longer while the video played.
Auditioning for that movie would be interesting. The team behind it had already proven they could make successful horror.
Matt Rogers directing, Owen Ashford producing. Their second horror movie together.
And from what the articles said, the project was already attracting attention in the industry even before filming began. Those kinds of projects could change careers.
Even for someone like me, who wasn't exactly at the starting line anymore. I could consider myself an emerging actress. I was at that strange point where everything seemed to be starting to move, but I still wasn't on the other side yet.
I'd had leading roles in 2022. Two horror films, a few projects before that, a Netflix series that got canceled, enough work that people inside the industry already knew who I was.
I wasn't a star. Not yet. But I wasn't a nobody either. And luckily, that meant I didn't have to open Backstage and compete with over a thousand people.
Those years working, building a résumé and moving from project to project had to count for something.
And of course having an agent.
I'd managed to get into UTA, one of the biggest agencies in Hollywood, just a few months earlier. That wasn't nothing. That kind of representation didn't mean you stopped auditioning, but it did change the way you reached projects.
I picked up the phone again and searched for my agent's contact. He answered pretty quickly.
"Hello…"
We exchanged a few polite words, the usual. Nothing long.
Then I got straight to the point.
"I just saw the Lights Out casting," I said, sitting up slightly in bed.
I didn't need to explain much.
"Yeah. I saw it too. Basically every outlet covered it," my agent replied after a second.
It sounded like he was about to add something, but I spoke first.
"I want to audition."
"I'm not surprised."
I heard some typing on the other end of the line, probably writing something down.
"I'll contact the casting director," he continued. "When they respond, they'll most likely send us a few scenes from the script. You'll have to do a self-tape, send it to me, and I'll forward it to them."
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me.
A self-tape was basically an audition recorded by the actor themselves. Usually they sent you one or two scenes from the script, you studied them, prepared your performance, and recorded the scene on camera, almost always with someone off-screen reading the other lines. Then the video was sent to casting.
Basically I'd be skipping a stage and going straight to that phase.
That was about as far as my résumé could take me.
I thought about it for a moment.
"Do you think they'll accept?" I asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't they?" he replied.
"The casting is on Backstage," I said. "If they posted it there maybe they want to find someone new."
My agent let out a small laugh.
"That doesn't change much. Rejecting a submission from a major agency would be… not very diplomatic, let's say."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Even if they want to project the image that they're searching for new talent or discovering someone outside the system," he said, "an emerging actress with your profile fits very well."
"Mm. That's true," I murmured.
He continued anyway.
"You've already led a horror production, you have experience in the genre, and you're not a complete unknown. But you're not an expensive star either. For a six-million-dollar movie, your fee lands exactly in the range they expect to pay."
We talked a bit more before the call ended. I set the phone down on the bed for a moment. I couldn't help feeling a little more at ease.
The image that was forming around Owen in the industry was curious. That indie-genius aura, someone who seemed to move slightly outside the traditional Hollywood system, as if agencies or the usual rules didn't matter much to him.
But still, my agent was right.
The industry's basic diplomacy still existed.
And if someone from UTA said that one of their clients wanted to audition, the normal response was to accept, unless the actor or actress being submitted was simply too expensive.
I let myself fall back against the pillow again. Only a few seconds passed.
Then I picked up the phone once more.
I opened Instagram and searched for his profile:
@owenashford
More than three million followers.
Which was pretty curious when you considered the relatively short time in which he had gained that visibility. Of course, in Hollywood there were far more extreme cases. Actors who appeared in a series that suddenly went mainstream and went, from just saying a number, from five hundred thousand followers to ten million in a matter of months.
Owen's rise had been more gradual and steady. And above all, it didn't seem to be slowing down.
I opened his latest post. It was a carousel with several photos from the shoot of his most recent project.
I started swiping through them, heavy coats, snow, behind-the-scenes shots on set with cables and monitors, pictures with castmates, including Jacob Elordi. And finally a group photo.
The post had more than 300,000 likes.
I kept looking at the photos for another moment.
"Hmm…"
I zoomed in on one where he appeared.
"He's cute," I murmured to myself.
I stared a couple seconds longer.
Then I tilted my head slightly.
"And he's single, right?" I muttered quietly, almost amused as I kept studying the photo.
It was a shame I wouldn't be playing the love interest: Bret.
…
POV Anya Taylor-Joy
The studio was filled with white light.
Lamps surrounded the set while the photographer adjusted the lens of his camera and someone from the crew slightly moved a reflector. I was sitting in front of the mirror while a makeup artist carefully worked on the final touches.
The stylist tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and stepped back to observe the result.
"Perfect," she said.
I nodded slightly with a small smile.
As the crew moved around me preparing the next shot, my mind inevitably returned to the article I had read that morning.
Lights Out.
The feature film that was going into production under the banner of one of the names that had been heard more and more lately.
And when I said lately, I meant very lately.
Just two years ago, nobody knew who Owen Ashford was.
Now his name was appearing on Deadline, Variety, Collider, and other outlets every other day.
As I was thinking about it, my agent, Lily, walked over.
"Everything okay?" she asked casually, probably noticing I looked a little distracted.
"Yes," I replied, looking away from the mirror. "I was remembering something I read this morning."
"What was it?" Lily asked.
I picked up the phone resting on the table in front of the mirror and opened the article again before showing it to her.
"Lights Out," I said.
Lily looked at the screen for a few seconds, "Oh."
She seemed to recognize the news immediately.
"Owen Ashford," she added.
I nodded, "That one."
Lily handed the phone back to me while crossing her arms, thoughtful.
"And?"
I looked at her calmly, "I want to audition."
A small pause settled between us. It wasn't an awkward pause, more the kind where an agent quickly processes the variables of a project.
Finally Lily spoke.
"It's an interesting project," she said in a measured tone, "but it's relatively small."
I smiled a little at that word, "Small… six million dollars."
"For a movie, yes…" Lily justified, "though for horror it could be considered a moderate budget."
"My career took off with a horror film that cost four," I replied calmly.
That made Lily smile slightly. It was a difficult point to argue.
The Witch (2015) had been exactly that. An independent horror film that nobody expected to work as well as it did. It was distributed by A24, which at the time already gave it a certain legitimacy within the indie circuit. And although its box office wasn't anything extreme like the phenomenon Ashford had achieved with Paranormal Activity, it had been more than solid.
The film ended up grossing $40.4 million. An excellent number for something that had cost only four.
"It's not just about the budget," Lily continued calmly. "Your profile is different now."
"I know," I replied as I leaned back slightly in the chair, watching my reflection in the mirror. "But it already has a very good short film behind it that's been validated. And the movie is already generating a lot of attention. It could easily make fifty million at the box office if they release it around Halloween."
Lily didn't deny it. She already seemed fairly convinced, "Your fee is probably above what they plan to pay."
"We can negotiate it," I said immediately.
That made Lily look at me more carefully.
"I don't mind lowering it if I get the part," I added.
A short silence settled in while she evaluated the situation.
Finally she nodded.
"Alright. Even if it's not huge, it's a good opportunity. And with your profile, experience, and résumé, if we enter the process you'll probably go straight to the final stage."
I nodded. Having an established career did have its advantages.
Though there was also the other side of the coin.
It remained to be seen how they would view a strongly represented actress entering directly into the final stages of casting, when everything seemed to suggest they were trying to find someone new, maybe even an unknown face.
But I still knew they would accept. Those kinds of submissions simply weren't rejected.
"I'm going to contact the casting director. Francine, I think," Lily said while pulling out her phone.
I nodded as she stepped aside to make the call.
I stayed seated, looking at myself in the mirror.
In truth, I hadn't told her all my reasons.
Yes, I liked horror. And the short film was good. But there was another reason.
The name behind the project.
Owen Ashford.
His career was growing fast. Very fast. But what stood out the most wasn't just the acting side of it. It was the number of projects he seemed to be creating one after another.
He wasn't just an actor accepting roles. He was producing and financing. Launching his own projects.
That was something very different.
Even if I didn't end up getting the role, getting on his radar wasn't a bad idea.
I could deliver a strong audition. Really show what I could do as an actress, leave a strong impression, and also demonstrate that I was genuinely interested in the project.
Even the fact that I was willing to negotiate my salary downward, something that, in theory, I shouldn't do, sent a pretty clear message.
That I put the film before the money.
Which was obviously a point in my favor, and something people would remember.
In this industry, it wasn't always just about landing a specific role. It was also about the impressions you left during the process.
Because Ashford would probably make another movie.
So if this role eventually ended up going to another actress, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that at some point another project might appear where I fit better.
And when that happened, there was a chance he might remember my audition.
Or my willingness to work on the project.
In that sense, I really had nothing to lose. Although, if I'm being honest with myself of course I'd like to get it.
…
Second Take Films Offices
"It's finally over! More than three thousand submissions watched and analyzed!" Matt said as he dropped into his chair as if he had just finished a marathon.
It was already almost seven in the evening. In the office only Owen and Matt remained. Francine had left a while earlier after spending practically the entire day reviewing material with them. Derek had also gone home, still completely absorbed in editing the first cut of Good Will Hunting.
"Three thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, to be exact," Owen said before taking a long sip from his coffee mug, already on its third refill of the day.
Out of those submissions, 2,613 had been for the lead role of Rebecca.
The other 1,249 were for the supporting role of Bret, Rebecca's boyfriend.
Five days had passed since they posted the casting announcement on Backstage. Matt had achieved exactly what he wanted: noise. Buzz. Articles in industry outlets, conversation on social media, and hundreds of actors talking about the project in forums and groups.
But it had also meant a lot of work.
The three of them had spent hours reviewing reels, résumés, small clips from previous auditions, and actors' profiles.
From the 2,613 submissions for Rebecca, they ended up selecting 200 actresses to move on to the next stage.
That meant roughly 7.6% of the actresses had advanced.
For Bret, out of 1,249 submissions they selected 50 actors. Roughly 4%.
"I remember when we reviewed reels and résumés for Paranormal Activity and I thought that had been a lot of work," Owen said with a small smile.
"Yeah, that was nothing compared to this," Matt nodded. "And we're not even done with casting yet."
Now came the second phase: the self-tapes.
Those 200 potential Rebeccas would receive scenes from the script along with some basic notes about the character. They would have to record an audition at home or in a small studio and send it in.
The same would happen with the candidates for Bret.
In those videos, usually two to four minutes long, you could really see each actor's level.
"From there we have to cut the list down again," Owen added calmly.
In Rebecca's case, those two hundred actresses would have to become about thirty or forty finalists.
And in Bret's case, the list would shrink to ten actors.
Matt made a slight grimace as he spun his chair a little, "But those aren't all the candidates."
Owen barely raised his gaze.
He knew exactly what Matt meant.
During those days they had also received submissions from agencies. Not aggressively or anything like that, just the usual procedure: representatives asking if they could read the script and submit their clients for the role.
Out of diplomacy, and also because many of those actresses were emerging talents with reasonable fees, Owen had accepted.
Many of those actresses ended up entering directly into the second phase of casting. Others even further along.
To be precise, seventeen actresses had entered this way for Rebecca.
And eleven actors in Bret's case.
Matt leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, "Some of them are pretty good," he said as he began listing names from memory. "Odessa A'zion… Emily Rudd… Angourie Rice… Madison Iseman… Milly Alcock... Odessa Young…"
Suddenly he stopped. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Owen with a smile, "That Madison wasn't she the one who tried to sleep with you during the shoot of The Spectacular Now?"
Owen answered without hesitation, "Yeah. That was her."
Matt let out a small laugh, "Then she's got a tough road ahead."
Owen didn't deny it. He wasn't going to hire someone who behaved like that.
"Don't forget Anya Taylor-Joy," Owen added.
In this reality, The Queen's Gambit never existed, a series Owen remembered well from his past life and one that had greatly propelled Anya Taylor-Joy's career.
Without that global phenomenon, Anya's position within the industry was somewhat different. She still had a solid reputation thanks to films like The Witch and other projects, but her level of fame and demand was clearly lower than in Owen's other life.
She wasn't an emerging actress, nor a complete unknown, but she also wasn't an unreachable star for a mid-budget independent production. However, if she wanted to increase her chances of being chosen for Lights Out, she would likely need to lower her fee somewhat, and according to her agent, she was willing to do so.
And because of her résumé, she moved directly into the final stage of the casting process.
"Oh right," Matt said, leaning back in his chair. "That one surprised me. I loved her in The Witch, though that was like eight years ago."
He looked again at the list on the screen, "But she basically jumps straight to the final stage without doing anything…"
Owen shrugged slightly, "Don't take it the wrong way. Actors build careers for a reason," he said calmly. "We wanted to discover new people and give opportunities to actors without agencies. But it's obvious that actors with agencies are going to be interested in the project."
It was part of the game.
"Yeah, I know," Matt finally said with a small sigh. "It just gives us a lot more work."
Now they didn't just have to review the self-tapes from the two hundred Backstage candidates.
They also had to watch the material sent by the actresses and actors who had entered directly through agencies.
More meetings, auditions, and more comparisons.
Matt rested an elbow on the desk as he thought about it. Though, to be honest, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Among those more experienced actors they might find their perfect Rebecca.
And if not, they could always simply say no and stick with the original plan of casting a complete unknown.
As for the other two important roles in the film, Rebecca's younger sister and the mother, they were already filled. Sarah and Elizabeth had agreed to join the project.
Both had already received the full script and had begun learning their lines, preparing for rehearsals and for the shoot that was approaching quickly.
Owen was glad his mother had accepted.
Partly because she could accompany Sarah during the out-of-state shoot. After all, Sarah was still a minor, and having Elizabeth there would help supervise everything, from daily life on set to something as simple as making sure she kept up with her online schoolwork during that time.
And so the days continued to pass.
The casting process kept moving forward. At the same time, in another part of the office, the post-production of Good Will Hunting continued progressing smoothly.
The first cut would be ready by the last days of March, just in time to start shopping the film to distributors and make it to Cannes.
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