Hi there, I'm Xanthe. I’m a researcher, filmmaker, content creator, podcaster, and mental health coordinator working between the UK and Los Angeles. As a horror academic and working filmmaker, my work sits at the intersection of horror, filmmaking, mental health and emotionally honest storytelling.I’m currently at University of Birmingham UK, researching children’s perspectives on horror and their own horror filmmaking practices. I’m interested in what children watch, what they create, and what their perspectives can teach us. I want to challenge assumptions about children as passive horror audiences and create more space for young people as filmmakers, critics and creative voices. I work under the supervisory team of Dr Catherine Lester and Dr Alaina Schempp, with additional support from Dr Richard Langley. I hold an MFA from USC School of Cinematic Arts and a BFA from CalArts, bringing together academic research with hands-on creative practice. I am currently raising funds for post-production for my first feature, a documentary titled Kids Make Horror.I’m also the creator behind The Feral Academic, my horror-meets-academia media platform across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Through The Feral Academic, I share horror research, filmmaking and the less polished realities of being an academic that nobody talks about. Outside academia, I’ve appeared in Shudder’s In Search of Darkness III, was a film directing semi-finalist in Issa Rae and HBO’s Project Greenlight, co-host the podcasts The Final Girlfriend and Kindergeist and write about horror for genre publications. I have two horror rom-com shorts currently in their festival run titled Rosebud (starring Obsession's Megan Lawless) and Chevrons.I’m also a Mental Health Coordinator specialising in horror filmmaking. I focus on the compelling and ethical portrayal of mental health and challenging or traumatic themes. I shapeshift my support to an organisation's needs from development through press tours, which may involve script or final edit consulting, supporting minors, on-set crisis intervention, conflict mediation and referral pathways. My goal is simple: to make sure storytellers can do their best work in an environment that genuinely takes care of them.I’m available for interviews, public speaking, conferences, industry consulting, youth filmmaking initiatives and mental health coordination for film and television productions.

INTERVIEWS WITH YOUTH

I am interviewing children aged 9-15 for their thoughts on the horror genre. My research is about discovering what types of horror resonate with young people without adult opinions shaping the conversation. The responses so far have been eye‑opening, and more voices are welcome.If you’re a parent or gaurdian in the UK or Ireland with a child who loves horror, please get in touch at [email protected]I directed and produced the above trailer, What's Your Favourite Scary Movie? as a audio-visual call for participants.

DOCUMENTARY

Teenage Screams is a feature-length documentary and one half of my doctoral thesis that follows a group of British teenagers as they create their first horror short, The Final Variation.Their film centres on a working‑class dancer who earns a coveted scholarship to an elite ballet academy, only to discover that the real choreography lies in navigating privilege, simmering rivalries, and the shadow of a suspicious death…The documentary is still seeking support for post-production via GoFundMe:

• GoFundMe
• The Final Variation IMDb

CONFERENCES & TALKS

2021 FANGORIA CHAINSAW AWARDS

The 2021 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards is a celebration of the best in 2021 horror hosted by David Dastmalchian with presenters Jamie Lee Curtis, Keith David, Kevin Smith, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Doug Jones, Biqtch Puddin', and more. Aired on AMC Networks/Shudder and filmed remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown.