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The story behind the new Midgies horror movie…that will be filmed in Glencoe

Fort William-based Barry Hutchison, known as crime writer JD Kirk, is delighted his 'joke' is going to be a feature film.

Midgies the horror movie
Midgies trailer has been released. Image: Mythic Picnic.

The film world is setting its sights on the greatest monster of all time, the midge!

A trailer for the Midgies comedy horror movie was released this week.

And distributors, and more importantly financiers are already falling over themselves to make the film about mutant killer midges.

The criminal mastermind behind the plan is Barry Hutchison – crime writer JD Kirk.

Posting on social media as a joke last year, the Fort William-based author thought it would make his followers laugh.

‘We don’t have tigers or tarantulas in Scotland, just the midgie’

But Glasgow-based filmmaker Alessio Avezzano didn’t think it was funny at all, he thought it was brilliant.

TheMidgies trailer
Be afraid, be very afraid the Midgies are here! Image: Mythic Picnic.

He approached Mr Hutchison asking if he had a script.

Mr Hutchison told The Press and Journal: “Last year I put a bit on my social media. I said I had this idea for a Scottish monster story.

“Of course, we don’t have tigers or tarantulas in Scotland so I said it was about the horror midgie.

“I mocked up faked images. It was picked up by BBC News and it was picked all over the world.”

After appearing in the news, and speaking to radio stations in America, Mr Avezzano who runs Mythic Picnic Productions got in touch.

“He said ‘I love this idea, do you have a script?'”, Mr Hutchison explained.

“So I went away and put a script together in five days and sent it off to Allessio.”

Mr Avezzano said he “loved it” and from there took it to American producers who were equally excited about the project.

While initially there was lots of talk about making the film, and relocating it to Canada for filming, things went quiet.

So over the summer, Alessio shot the short teaser for the film, with some of the filming done on Loch Lomond-side.

Author JD Kirk sitting on a chair and looking at the camera.
Barry Hutchison writes under the pen name JD Kirk for his multi-million selling DCI Logan series. Image: Supplied.

Mr Hutchison said the focus was now on making the film as much of a Scottish production as possible.

He said: “There is so much talent in Scotland, yet rarely do people get to work on a Hollywood movie, so this is exciting for lots of reasons.”

Mr Hutchison is keen to have Glencoe in the shoot

Exterior locations are likely to include places in the Scottish Highlands.

In particular, Mr Hutchison is keen to have Glencoe in the shoot.

“It is a place that is beautiful and dark at the same time. It changes every time you see it and will be wonderful as the backdrop to a movie.”

The film teaser on YouTube and other channels has already had 100,000 views.

Mr Hutchison said: “We are talking to distributors and financiers now.

“So it looks like it will be made next summer in the Highlands, although we will be plagued by actual midges which could be problematic.”.”

Millions of female midges gather in swarms as they seek out blood to feed their eggs.

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