Film Name(s): H.E.X.A.G.O.N. : Episode 1
Director: MJ Dixon
Writer(s): MJ Dixon, Jack GranvilleStarring: Episode 1 – Sean Botha, Thomas Asante-Gregory, Lewis Cooper, Jack Granville, Lois Gardner
In 1977 General James Cook under the government branch HEXAGON formed a top secret team, CODE NAME: TRIPLE SIX made up of the worlds best professional killers with one specific goal, to hunt things that go bump in the night.
In the final new exclusive interview on Blazing Minds I got a chance to ask Co-Writer, producer and Actor Jack Granville a few questions about H.E.X.A.G.O.N. : Episode 1 which had its World Premiere at Horror-on-Sea on Sunday 18th January.
Q. The first episode of the mini-series H.E.X.A.G.O.N. has been selected to play at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from each film?
A. Each episode plays like a short film, and as such expect intriguing characters, an engaging plot and all packaged into bite-sized chunks that will leave you hungry for more.
Q. You co-wrote the script with director MJ Dixon. What were your inspirations when writing the script and what was the process of you both writing together?
A. I think the superhero genre definitely shines through in this, but also squad-based war films from the 70s onwards (Episode 2’s helicopter scene exemplifies this). I had been inspired from working on Slasher Hous3: Rebooted (2024) a couple of years ago, and was intrigued by the mythos of the Mychoverse, particularly HEXAGON itself. I pitched a character origin story to MJ, of a member of a squad of HEXAGON baddies – it just so happened MJ had been developing something similar for a couple of other characters, and things grew from there. MJ’s the ‘horr-aficionado’, so he took the lead on the big horror elements, whilst I took care of the more drama-led scenes, and the action set-pieces ended up being a bit of both of us!
Q. Did you have any of the cast in mind for the newly introduced characters when writing the script?
A. I always knew Moray would be Boo Boo – he’s so fun to work with and has a way of making the little things incredibly funny. And yes, we knew from the jump that I would play Marksman. Any excuse to play the most annoying character (and maybe most loveable… right?). The rest were more difficult to cast, some because we had something particular in mind, whilst we were spoiled for choice with others. Ultimately, I couldn’t be happier with our cast!
Q. With your character, are there any elements which reflect some of your own personality?
A. He’s witty, he doesn’t take things too seriously, he talks too much, and maybe he can’t read a room… I feel like I’m getting better at the last one, but the rest are fairly similar to me. He can also go serious on a dime though… more on that in later episodes!
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of the film?
A. This first season is set in the 70s, so that certainly played a part in costume, props and music. With such short episodes, we wanted to make it feel 70s in very little time. This also shone through in the character design for both heroes and villains (props to MJ on that). Equally, keeping it consistent with how HEXAGON has appeared in previous films in the Mychoverse, so black and red were essential.
Q. Did you make any changes from the original script during filming?
A. Aside from occasional ad-libs, the biggest changes were in some fight scenes where we cut some of them for time, or because we felt like some shots were unnecessary or dragged the scene on (‘you stabbed the guy, we get it’). Particularly, the final fight ended up quite abridged as we not only realised it was too long for the runtime, but also because the bits we cut didn’t further the plot or improve the scene.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
A. The first day was incredibly exciting, the last night was incredibly rewarding, but my favourite moments were between the scenes, talking with the cast and crew, seeing it come together as they rehearsed. There was a lovely energy amongst the group, and I felt (and still feel) privileged that they all put so much effort into MJ and I’s goofy little idea.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. My first time as a producer went mostly smoothly but certainly opened my eyes to what goes on behind the scenes – scheduling conflicts, rearranging the shooting schedule on the fly, finding replacement props at the last minute, or even issues with accommodation. Happily, all these things proved to be easy enough to overcome – balancing ‘Jack the actor’ with ‘Jack the producer’ and ‘Jack the writer’ also had its challenges.
Q. You have a new series already planned, what can we expect from the next series?
A. We had always planned for these episodes to be versatile, so that they can be enjoyed in isolation or together. We will continue this in Season 2, where we go uber 80s and delve a little deeper into the characters, HEXAGON and even other elements of the Mychoverse. Season 2 will be a pivotal one for the squad in particular.
Q. What makes the series stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. I don’t think I’ve seen something like this in the horror genre before – mini episodes that can be turned into a feature when run together. The blend of action, horror, sci-fi and comedy give this series a unique, yet somehow familiar, feel.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the films?
A. I hope they are entertained, intrigued and, most importantly, hungry for more!
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. Outside of Season 2, does becoming a dad count?! Outside of that, I’m keeping my eyes and inbox open for opportunities to work with more independent filmmakers
Q. If someone was looking to write their own film what advice would you give them?
A. Write out a summary. Then write a scene. Then send it to somebody who has written film scripts before and see what they think, perhaps multiple people. A little guidance from a voice of experience can go a long way. Often, the hardest part of a project is starting it. So dream big and be ambitious with your first draft, save ‘compromising to make it possible’ for later.
BTS pictures by Asher Chan
You can find out more about the festival and purchase tickets here
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
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