"Up until about two years ago, I hated horror," says indie horror producer Kate Separovich.
"Now, I'm a huge, huge fan."
Separovich is the producer of the feature film Proclivitas, which opens at South by Southwest Sydney (SXSW Sydney) with its world premiere on Wednesday.
The film follows Clare, who returns to her childhood home after the sudden death of her mother. She reconnects with her teenage sweetheart, triggering a powerfully demonic presence determined to take possession of her.
Proclivitas is one of more than 100 films screening at SXSW Sydney, which runs until Sunday, and also features a conference schedule covering music, technology, and culture.
Separovich was speaking at Blood, Sweat & Tears: The Indie Horror Producer's Survival Guide, a panel discussion facilitated by Andy Barclay about how horror movies have long been a proving ground for emerging filmmakers — with accessible budgets, loyal audiences, and an appetite for bold creative risks.
But there is also a gritty reality when it comes to financing and distribution.
Separovich stumbled into producing horror flicks when the writer and director of Proclivitas, Miley Tunnecliffe, pitched three projects to her — a romantic comedy, an indie drama, and a horror movie.
"She fully expected me to go 'let's make the rom-com,' and I went 'oh, I actually really connect with the story of the horror one,' which is what became Proclivitas.
"So, the past three years have just been this phenomenal, joyful journey into understanding what horror is, the sub-genres, learning my tastes and what I like and don't like in horror."
Jill Kingston, the producer of Welcome Back to My Channel, which is screening on Thursday and Saturday and is about an influencer couple running afoul of a terrifying threat while camping in the Australian wilderness, told the audience that horror movies tend to appeal predominantly to 15- to 20-year-olds.
"[I was] that kid watching the movies that you shouldn't watch when you're too young," Kingston said.
Welcome Back to My Channel was made over 13 days on a minuscule budget of $70,000, with a large portion going towards the actors.
"We thought the acting was what would carry our film," Kingston said.
"So, we made sure that we had enough money to pay a casting director and that, for at least our leads, we were paying MEAA [Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance] minimums so that we could … get good actors submitting, and we did.
"I think the acting in our film is fantastic."
Award-winning Australian filmmaker Enzo Tedeschi (The Tunnel, Deadhouse Dark, The Crossing) said most feature-length films required a bare minimum of 20 days of shooting.
The producers spoke about how there was a level of risk the producer takes on, from loans and budgets to safety and insurance, and many things could go wrong.
"That's the real horror story," Tedeschi said.
Great opportunities in horror
Helen Tuck, who has made the transition to producing from being a hair and make-up artist, and was on the prosthetics team for the hit horror flick Talk to Me, has found a lot of opportunity in horror.
"We've got some projects on the slate that are quite deliberately not horror because we also don't want to get pigeonholed in that space," Tuck said.
"But … I was talking to my son and he was asking me 'what's happening next year?'
"And I said, 'well, we've got a horror film, and then we've got a horror film and then, crap, we've got another horror film.'"
Wolf Creek and Talk to Me were singled out as Australian horror movies that have punched above their weight.
"I think Wolf Creek … had a significant amount of success overseas, and so then when it came back to Australia, everyone was like 'oh my God, we have to go see this movie that smashed it overseas,'" Tedeschi said.
"I think if it had started here, it might not have been the same story."
Separovich said that in 2024, there were 44 Australian films released in cinemas across the country. Only five were horror films.
She said it was worth directing a limited budget towards the sound mix for Proclivitas.
"A great sound mix in a horror can totally elevate it and change the film," she said, adding that a low budget should not stifle producers creatively.
"Low budget filmmaking is my happy place; the restrictions force creativity."
