Crystal Lake native's summer horror film 'Lights Out' creates buzz

A small-budget horror film has earned a spot among a slew of summer blockbuster releases, and a Crystal Lake native is behind it.

A 2002 graduate of Crystal Lake South High School now living in Los Angeles, Ben Everard is the executive producer of "Lights Out," a film based on a 3-minute short film of the same name that went viral about a woman haunted by a creature when the lights go out.

Everard's father, Lloyd, of Crystal Lake, is one of the film's co-producers.

With a budget of $6 million, the film is scheduled for a July 22 premiere, alongside the big-name releases of “Star Trek Beyond” and “Ice Age: Collision Course.”

“To get a worldwide release in the middle of summer with a tiny budget like that confirms the execution of the film is particularly high and audiences really love it,” said Everard, invited to talk to students at his former high school May 25.

He said he’ll likely touch on the impact digital media outlets, such as Hulu, Amazon and Netflix, have had on the entertainment business, among other things in the industry.

“In some respects, it’s the Wild West again in this business because there’s such disruption of the model by these digital players,” he said.

And, of course, he’ll plug “Lights Out,” rated PG-13.

Everard, who co-owns Grey Matter Productions with Lawrence Grey, saw the original short film – directed by Swedish director David Sandberg, who also directs the full-length version – and knew “the guy had some chops.”

The more they got to know Sanberg, they knew they had a potential hit on their hands. Grey Matter Productions optioned the short film, attracted horror movie veteran James Wan (“Saw,” “Insidious: Chapter 3,” “Annabelle” and the upcoming “Annabelle 2”) and went from there.

They knew the premise was solid – most everybody has a primal fear of the darkness or has experienced a moment late at night when they fear a shadow in a dark corner.

“The short is just that. It’s a gimmick, a premise, a concept. There’s not a real story. That was the biggest hurdle. How do you take a very generous concept and build a narrative around that?” Everard said.

“At the end of the day, that was the key. That was where we were doing our job. We weren’t going to develop it just to have a movie. We wanted it to be special.”

Word is the film, tested in front of numerous audiences, is just that. Everard’s goal was to still have a compelling story with the horror aspects of the film stripped away.

Like the film, his path to Hollywood wasn’t traditional. He studied political science and economy at the University of Miami before earning his law degree at George Washington University in 2009.

Working at a law firm in Los Angeles, he learned the ins and outs of the entertainment business in reverse, by litigating as movie deals fell apart.

“Coming to Los Angeles was sort of a wink and a nod to ‘I’m going to figure out some way to get involved in film,’ ” he said. “I did not know the direct path.”

He soon started a production company – selling the television show “Hang Men,” a reality show about people who climb 800 feet to maintain cell towers, to the Discovery Channel – and eventually pairing with Grey.

For Everard, it’s as much about the business as it is the creative aspect.

“If you can succeed within this industry, it can be one of the more exciting industries out there. It can be fun. It can be sexy, high profit,” he said. “At the end of the day, you’re creating something people often respond to in a meaningful and emotional way.”