Megan Tremethick, an actress with the British Horror Studio, passed 60,000 followers on Instagram on Sunday. The achievement offers an occasion to consider how an independent performer may establish a substantial audience through a carefully developed artistic identity.
The studio reports that Britain and North America together account for more than 75 per cent of her following, with strong engagement and growth achieved organically. Her account combines theatrical portraiture, poetic captions and short filmed pieces, giving it a recognisable character.
As someone involved in the studio’s work, I regard the nature of this following as particularly significant. It suggests an appetite for an approach to performance and publicity rooted in craft, atmosphere and the glamour of the classical cinema.
A tradition of theatrical portraiture
Miss Tremethick takes a close creative interest in the production of her photographs. Expression, costume and composition serve a dramatic purpose. The resulting portraits possess a continuity of style, allowing an audience to become acquainted with an artistic sensibility as well as a face.
The description “Vivien Leigh of indie horror”, reported by D&CFilm as a comparison made by critics and fans, is understandable in this context. It speaks to a taste for elegance and emotional intensity, qualities that also inform Megan Tremethick’s approach to the actor’s craft.
In this writer’s opinion, such work offers a welcome departure from the familiar accessories of horror publicity. The rubber blade and the perfunctory application of imitation blood have their uses, but they can become substitutes for character and imagination.
Her photographs instead draw upon the tradition of the silver screen portrait, in which bearing, expression and suggestion carry much of the dramatic weight.
An audience for artistic conviction
Follower totals alone provide an incomplete measure of an artist’s standing. Nevertheless, the studio’s report of an organically developed and engaged audience gives this milestone a significance beyond the figure itself.
It also invites consideration of the paths available to actresses in independent horror. Too often, I believe, the British scene has confined itself to a narrow range of expectations: the knowing humour inherited from the success of Shaun of the Dead, the conventions of male fan culture, or the imitation of American exploitation pictures.
The recent enthusiasm for public domain subjects is another tendency I find artistically limiting when familiarity takes precedence over invention.
Miss Tremethick’s example points towards another course. Her work gives prominence to theatrical seriousness, visual authorship and an unapologetic appreciation of beauty. Its reception suggests that these qualities retain a considerable audience.
With further feature productions awaiting announcement at the British Horror Studio, the next stage of her career remains to be seen. This milestone provides grounds for interest in an actress developing both a public following and a recognisable artistic voice.
About Mr Lawrie Brewster
Mr Lawrie Brewster is a producer and director working in independent horror cinema. He leads the British Horror Studio, serves as President of Amicus Productions, and oversees the British Horror Studio community.
Readers may also consult his reflections on acting and self-education and further articles for Amicus Horror.
