Crew member terrified by supernatural experience behind camera

An uninvited visitor haunted the set of The Visit, made by Leeds-based Talkinglens Productions, when cast and crew heard strange noises and felt an eerie presence in the house where the film was shot. A sound technician who stayed overnight claims he had a supernatural experience so terrifying he refused to set foot there again.

Filming began in March but due to lockdown was halted a week later. "We left the house decorated for scenes," said writer/director Raza Mallal. "In June, when lockdown eased for film production, a crew member and I returned to prepare for filming. Because the film's stories are set at night, we put tin foil over the windows to block out daylight, plunging the house into darkness. I was alone, on a stepladder changing lightbulbs, when I heard whispering and floorboards creaking and felt a cold, otherworldly presence. I put two lightbulbs down and they rolled. It sent chills down my spine."

Raza decided not to share his experience so as not to spook the crew but the ghostly presence soon returned. "When filming resumed two crew members stayed at the house overnight, as we had equipment there," said Raza. "Sound recordist Fredrick Green, a strapping ex US coastguard was visited by a horrible presence..."

Says Frederick: “I awoke screaming, making it to the bedroom door before I fully woke up. Max (crew member) thought there was a burglar. I had a nightmare about a spider crawling down my throat and an entity chasing me."

A psychological horror anthology, The Visit is set in an isolated Dales house. "There are themes of ghosts reawakening, and we stopped daylight coming into the house, so maybe that triggered something," said Raza. "The owners are friends and let us film there. We were planning to shoot a sci-fi film in the house but nobody wants to go back so we're looking for other locations."

Cast members said they heard footsteps in the house, and felt like they were being watched. "I felt uneasy and was constantly losing things. I was forever turning to see who was behind me...it added to the flavour of the film," said local actress Julie Boyle.

Elizabeth O’Dwyer says: "I played a teenage girl named Mae whose friend has gone missing and she starts talking on the internet with a boy named Jed. She arranges to meet up with him and, well, you'll have to wait and see what happens...

"I definitely heard some creaky floorboards upstairs. The house was very creepy and eerie. Several times I felt a chill up my spine. I felt safe with the crew but I'm not brave enough to have stayed there overnight!"

Says Danni Shepherd: "At times I felt the house was very creaky and it definitely sounded like someone was walking around upstairs. I love haunted houses, anything spooky and scary, so it excited me more than anything! I actually miss filming there, it was great fun."

Filming under Covid safety guidelines was a challenge. "We had to maintain social distancing, wear masks and wipe down all the equipment. Two of us went on a Covid awareness course," said Raza. "One actor was shielding and another had Covid, and we could only have 10 people on set, so we had to re-write and re-cast. A new way of filming, but we're a crew and cast with Yorkshire grit so we just carried on."

* The Visit will be streamed later this year.