LIGHTS, CAMERA, ANARCHY
How I Survived the Film Shoot From Hell!
By Richard John Currie
Discover the extraordinary behind-the-scenes account of the making of Primal Games, told through the eyes of First Assistant Director Richard John Currie.
THE FILM IS ONLY HALF THE STORY
In the autumn of 2023, a small group of filmmakers journeyed into the Scottish Highlands to shoot a sci-fi/action movie on a shoestring budget. What was supposed to be a straightforward production quickly spiralled into cinematic chaos, and the events that transpired would go down in history as one of the most tumultuous low-budget film shoots ever.
When "action" was called, everything that could go wrong did go wrong: the lead actress was a prima donna; the worst weather Scotland had seen in decades hit; the special effects team was laughably incompetent; sound issues arose from low-flying aircraft; the stunt choreographer’s methods were painfully slow; a crew member was fired for insubordination; the main camera catastrophically malfunctioned; and multiple employees were habitually late. All of this happened during the first week of production—and it only got worse from there.
Author and filmmaker Richard John Currie served as the 1st AD during this production, and he had front-row seats to the madness. As the chaos unfolded before his eyes, Richard started surreptitiously documenting everything that transpired on set. When the cameras finally stopped rolling, he had recorded it all.
Lights, Camera, Anarchy is Richard John Currie’s brutally honest account of a film production that almost self-imploded, a director who wouldn’t give up, the crew who endured absolute hell, and a 1st AD who nearly lost his mind. This memoir takes you behind the scenes to witness the daily chaos, the tantrums, and the sheer insanity of a curse-ridden film shoot.
This isn’t a Hollywood success story—it’s a cinematic nightmare!
A HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME
A newlywed couple sets off on the honeymoon of their dreams, only to become unwitting participants in a sadistic vacation experience. Trapped in a deadly game designed for the thrill-seeking elite, they must fight for survival and uncover the shocking truth about their existence before it's too late. In a world where nothing is as it seems, primal instincts are their only hope.
DIRECTED BY: David Ryan Keith
WRITTEN BY: David Ryan Keith
PRODUCED BY: David Dittlinger Mary Ann Barnes Lorraine Keith
MUSIC BY: Drew Denton
STARRING: Hannaj Bang Bendz John Love Gary Kasper
RELEASE DATE: 6th May 2025
DISTRIBUTOR: Uncork'd Entertainment
PRIMAL GAMES
READ THE BOOK.
WATCH THE FILM.
YOU DECIDE.
Director's Statement – David Ryan Keith
Looking back, it's a testament to the determination and sheer hard work of our cast and crew that we managed to get the film across the finishing line under such brutal conditions. Thankfully, all that effort made it onto the screen, and it's an experience none of us will forget anytime soon.
Lights, Camera, Anarchy would explode onto the scene shortly before the Hollywood premiere of PRIMAL GAMES. Written by Richard John Currie, a close friend who served as the film's 1st Assistant Director, the book offers a brutally honest, often chaotic account of his experience working on the production.
Richard's time on the film was far from straightforward, and his decision to document the experience resulted in a revealing behind-the-scenes account of what happens when an overly ambitious independent action movie collides with circumstances seemingly determined to bring it crashing down.
From clashing personalities and disagreements on set to the extraordinary pressures of living and working together under difficult conditions, the book explores a side of filmmaking that audiences rarely get to see.
Every film production encounters obstacles, but PRIMAL GAMES seemed to attract more than its fair share. Extreme weather, financial pressures, the disruption surrounding the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike and a seemingly endless series of unexpected setbacks tested the patience, determination and resilience of everyone involved.
Of course, as with any deeply personal account, perspectives differ. Some of the events and interpretations presented in the book remain disputed by others involved in the production. Nevertheless, Richard's recollections offer a fascinating insight into the challenges of independent filmmaking, particularly for aspiring filmmakers who may one day find themselves facing similar situations.
For me, Lights, Camera, Anarchy is something of a time capsule. A snapshot of a remarkable, exhausting and occasionally ridiculous period in our lives that I suspect I'll appreciate even more as the years pass.
It's no secret that the book's publication created tensions between Richard and others involved in the production, including members of the cast, crew and producing team.
But buried beneath the disagreements, frustrations and personal struggles is something I believe deserves recognition: the story of a group of passionate, slightly crazy filmmakers who, despite everything thrown at them, somehow found a way to pull together and finish an extraordinarily difficult film.
And perhaps that's the real story of PRIMAL GAMES. Not the disagreements, the relentless rain or the seemingly impossible shooting schedule, but the fact that, against considerable odds, we actually got the movie made.
ONE FILM.
TWO PERSPECTIVES.
ONE EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
In 2023, an ambitious independent action film began shooting in the Scottish Highlands. What followed was a production few involved would ever forget.
In Lights, Camera, Anarchy, First Assistant Director Richard John Currie recounts the challenges, conflicts and extraordinary circumstances of making Primal Games, offering his own unfiltered perspective on what happened behind the cameras.
Now you can read his account, watch the finished film and decide what you make of it all.
"An incredible story, a peek behind the scenes of an actual movie production where personalities clash and tempers flair. Behind it all, the book is a loveletter to the real life issues that actually happen on a movie set"
"This is a sensational read about an industry that is often closed off, as to what really happens.
Often perceived as a glamorous business, it shows you it really isn’t
It’s a must “deep dive” for any film buff"
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD JOHN CURRIE
READ A CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK
