Known to audiences for her work across film, television and the video game industry—including major titles such as ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, ‘VALORANT’ and the ‘Battlefield’ franchise—actress Marta Svetek now takes centre stage as the lead in the British survival horror film Savage Prey. The independent feature has just celebrated its World Premiere at the acclaimed Popcorn Frights Film Festival, with audiences across the United States able to stream the film virtually on demand for 48 hours.

Alongside starring as Ava, Marta also served as Executive Producer, contributed to voice direction, and was involved in other areas of post-production, making her one of the key creative forces behind the film. Directed, written and edited by David Ryan Keith, ‘Savage Prey’ was filmed entirely in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands and promises an intense, character-driven survival thriller that combines emotional storytelling with relentless suspense.

Congratulations on ‘Savage Prey’ making its World Premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival on 9 August. What initially drew you to the project, and what can audiences expect from the film without giving too much away?

What drew me to the project, when I was sent the very first version of the script by David, was that it was a horror film that really took its time to establish the character. It made you emotionally invest in her, allowed you to relate to her feelings, and really care about her overcoming her obstacles. That’s really where a lot of movies have gone wrong in the past—you need the audience to care about what happens to the character and root for them to win to make going on the 90-plus-minute journey with them worth it. Even though a lot changed from that first draft I read in December 2024, we made sure to preserve that emotional core. It became even more important because so much of the movie focuses on Ava’s isolation and the very real danger she’s in. What also drew me in—and terrified me as an actor—was how little dialogue there is.

“I often play villains with the almost mandatory villain monologue, so this was a real change of pace.”

Without dialogue, you have nothing to hide behind. Every emotion has to be at the forefront because the audience needs to understand exactly what Ava is going through with very little exposition. It was a genuine test of my abilities and one of the most rewarding challenges I’ve ever had. Between Dave’s writing, direction and cinematography, the incredible crew, and my preparation for the role, I genuinely believe we’ve made a really good film.

The film was shot entirely in the Scottish Highlands, including the Cairngorms, with production even facing Storm Amy. What was that experience like?

It was honestly remarkable that during our 18-day shoot, we didn’t lose a single day of filming despite the constantly changing Highland weather. We were watching Storm Amy move across Scotland and hearing horror stories from other regions, so we were genuinely worried this might sink the production. Instead, the storm came overnight, knocked down scores of trees around us, yet somehow left our filming location untouched. Dave and I actually arrived at the location early the next day and dragged trees off the road ourselves so our production vehicles could follow. There is photo evidence on the ‘Savage Prey’ Instagram page! That’s the reality of independent filmmaking—everyone helps wherever they can.

You also served as Executive Producer and became heavily involved behind the scenes. What did you enjoy most about that experience?

From the moment I read the script, I wanted to help make this film happen. As production developed, I naturally became involved in areas beyond acting, from financing and post-production to marketing and distribution. I have a Master’s degree in Creative Industries and spent almost a decade working in tech before acting became my career, so I really enjoyed bringing those experiences together. This film has given me the filmmaking bug, and I’m already developing another script. Because I also work extensively in voice acting—including lead performances in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, ‘VALORANT’ and the ‘Battlefield’ franchise—I have a professional recording studio at home. That allowed us to record much of the ADR there, helping the production save valuable resources while maintaining high quality. It also gave me an entirely new appreciation for post-production and everything that happens after filming wraps.

Director David Ryan Keith shot the film using classic 35mm, 50mm and 135mm lenses inspired by iconic cinema. How did that influence your performance?

I was honestly terrified when Dave first told me he’d be using 135mm lenses for many, many of the close-ups because they capture absolutely everything. Every tiny emotional shift is magnified, so there is nowhere to hide. That meant my preparation focused heavily on subtlety and truthfulness. I spoke a lot about it with my acting mentor, Tom Keegan, and I’m incredibly grateful we spent the time developing that approach before filming. The lenses also helped me understand exactly how each scene needed to be performed. If Dave shouted, “35!”, I knew there would probably be running involved! If he called, “135!”, I knew every expression had to be incredibly controlled. Eventually, we developed such a great rhythm together that I rarely watched playback. I completely trusted the process.

‘Savage Prey’ was created entirely without AI during production or post-production. Why was that important to you?

This film represents the dedication, creativity and craftsmanship of everyone involved. Every department relied on years of experience and practical skill to bring the story to life, and I think audiences will genuinely feel that. There is something special about that which work created with AI will never be able to replicate. I believe AI can absolutely be used ethically as a creative tool, for example, in helping artists in post-production automate repetitive technical tasks. At the same time, I’ve personally experienced the negative side of generative AI through the prolific use of unauthorised voice clones of my work. It is a complex issue.

“For me, the most important thing is that genuine human creativity remains at the heart of filmmaking.”

AI will never destroy the demand for handcrafted films created with passion, care and real collaboration. That’s exactly what ‘Savage Prey’ is, and I hope audiences connect with the skill and passion for filmmaking everyone poured into making it.

Featured photo credit: Unstable Films