press release
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 7, 2026) — Award-winning music video and feature director Paul Boyd turns up the volume with the irreverent, high-voltage horror-comedy SCARED TO DEATH, starring horror icons Lin Shaye (Insidious) and Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), alongside rock frontman Kurt Deimer (Halloween:2018), in a genre-bending horror-comedy thrill ride packed with supernatural chaos and sharp humor, debuting across North America on TVOD/Digital release May 5, 2026. Available on all the major digital platforms, the film blends supernatural scares with dark comedy, tapping into classic haunted-house tradition while embracing a contemporary, irreverent edge—inviting audiences to laugh, jump, and react in equal measure.
In Scared to Death a group of filmmakers attend a séance at an abandoned children’s orphanage to do research for a horror movie. Soon, supernatural events begin to manifest, in both horrific and darkly comical fashion. That’s their first mistake…
Alongside Shaye and Moseley, with Deimer delivering a breakout performance as the scene-stealing “Grog,” Scared to Death unites an eclectic, high-profile ensemble including Victoria Konefal (Days of Our Lives), Rae Dawn Chong (The Color Purple), Olivier Paris (The Wrong Tutor), B.J. Minor (Grey’s Anatomy), Jade Chynoweth (The Last Ship), and Lucinda Jenney (Practical Magic).
Scared to Death’s origins are rooted in Boyd’s own real-life experiences in a reportedly haunted Hollywood home, which inspired the film’s central theme of “believing is seeing.” That concept carries through the production itself, which was shot entirely on location inside the historic Woodbury-Story House in Altadena, California—an 1882 Victorian mansion whose authentic architecture, attic, basement, and séance room provided a fully immersive backdrop for the film’s eerie tone and practical effects-driven set pieces.
Film Synopis
Jasper is an opportunistic young filmmaker eager to climb the Hollywood ladder. While working as a low-level production assistant, he seizes an opportunity to step into the director’s chair by convincing his cantankerous boss to take their cast and crew to a real séance for research on their upcoming horror film. The chosen location is an abandoned children’s orphanage, shuttered decades earlier after the mysterious deaths of five children—each reportedly scared to death.
Once the séance begins, the group finds themselves trapped inside the house as unexplained and increasingly terrifying events unfold. As the line between performance and reality blurs, the filmmakers are forced to confront supernatural forces far beyond anything they imagined—along with their own fears, beliefs, and survival instincts.
KURT DEIMER IS ‘THE GROG’
The film’s digital debut also aligns with rising momentum around Kurt Deimer, whose highly anticipated new album, A Grog Is Born, will be released on May 8, 2026, further spotlighting the multi-hyphenate artist as both a recording performer and emerging genre presence. Deimer not only stars in the film but also helped shape the creation of “The Grog,” a character already generating early audience attention as a potential new horror-comedy mainstay.
Scared to Death was written and directed by Scottish filmmaker Paul Boyd and the filmmaking team also features producers Eric Barrett and Todd Slater of Convoke Media. Executive Producers Kurt Deimer, Peter Tochet, Lin Shaye, and Steven Poster, ASC, casting by Lindsay Chag, CSA, edited by Ed Shiers, cinematography by Steven Poster, ASC, music composer Misha Segal, Production Design by Scott Campbell and featuring original songs by Kurt Deimer. The film comes to theaters in a deal that was negotiated by Todd Slater of Convoke Media on behalf of the filmmakers, with Harmon Kaslow representing Atlas Distribution Company.
In Scared to Death a group of filmmakers attend a séance at an abandoned children’s orphanage to do research for a horror movie. Soon, supernatural events begin to manifest, in both horrific and darkly comical fashion. That’s their first mistake…
Alongside Shaye and Moseley, with Deimer delivering a breakout performance as the scene-stealing “Grog,” Scared to Death unites an eclectic, high-profile ensemble including Victoria Konefal (Days of Our Lives), Rae Dawn Chong (The Color Purple), Olivier Paris (The Wrong Tutor), B.J. Minor (Grey’s Anatomy), Jade Chynoweth (The Last Ship), and Lucinda Jenney (Practical Magic).
Scared to Death’s origins are rooted in Boyd’s own real-life experiences in a reportedly haunted Hollywood home, which inspired the film’s central theme of “believing is seeing.” That concept carries through the production itself, which was shot entirely on location inside the historic Woodbury-Story House in Altadena, California—an 1882 Victorian mansion whose authentic architecture, attic, basement, and séance room provided a fully immersive backdrop for the film’s eerie tone and practical effects-driven set pieces.
Film Synopis
Jasper is an opportunistic young filmmaker eager to climb the Hollywood ladder. While working as a low-level production assistant, he seizes an opportunity to step into the director’s chair by convincing his cantankerous boss to take their cast and crew to a real séance for research on their upcoming horror film. The chosen location is an abandoned children’s orphanage, shuttered decades earlier after the mysterious deaths of five children—each reportedly scared to death.
Once the séance begins, the group finds themselves trapped inside the house as unexplained and increasingly terrifying events unfold. As the line between performance and reality blurs, the filmmakers are forced to confront supernatural forces far beyond anything they imagined—along with their own fears, beliefs, and survival instincts.
KURT DEIMER IS ‘THE GROG’
The film’s digital debut also aligns with rising momentum around Kurt Deimer, whose highly anticipated new album, A Grog Is Born, will be released on May 8, 2026, further spotlighting the multi-hyphenate artist as both a recording performer and emerging genre presence. Deimer not only stars in the film but also helped shape the creation of “The Grog,” a character already generating early audience attention as a potential new horror-comedy mainstay.
Scared to Death was written and directed by Scottish filmmaker Paul Boyd and the filmmaking team also features producers Eric Barrett and Todd Slater of Convoke Media. Executive Producers Kurt Deimer, Peter Tochet, Lin Shaye, and Steven Poster, ASC, casting by Lindsay Chag, CSA, edited by Ed Shiers, cinematography by Steven Poster, ASC, music composer Misha Segal, Production Design by Scott Campbell and featuring original songs by Kurt Deimer. The film comes to theaters in a deal that was negotiated by Todd Slater of Convoke Media on behalf of the filmmakers, with Harmon Kaslow representing Atlas Distribution Company.
ABOUT BALD MAN FILMS
Bald Man Films is a genre-focused production company founded by Cincinnati-born rock musician, actor, and producer Kurt Deimer. The company develops and produces character-driven films with a strong emphasis on horror, thriller, and elevated genre storytelling. Drawing from Deimer’s multidisciplinary background in music, performance, and entrepreneurship, Bald Man Films is committed to creating commercially viable content that blends cinematic storytelling with distinctive, audience-facing characters and original music integration.
ABOUT MIRROR FILMS
Mirror Films is a Los Angeles-based production company founded by producer Eric Barrett, specializing in independent features, documentaries, and commercial content. With a foundation in both narrative and branded storytelling, the company has produced projects across film, television, and music, collaborating with major global brands and artists. Mirror Films is focused on developing and producing compelling, story-driven content that balances artistic vision with broad audience appeal. Notable projects include Scared to Death, Fight Like Hell, and the critically recognized documentary Echo in the Canyon.
ABOUT CONVOKE MEDIA
Convoke Media is a strategic investment and content company operating at the intersection of film, television, digital media, and institutional capital. Founded by veteran media executive Todd Slater, the company focuses on the development, financing, and scaling of premium content with global commercial potential. Over the course of his career, Slater has financed, structured, or secured worldwide distribution for more than 150 motion pictures, with previous senior leadership roles at Paramount Pictures and AEG. Convoke Media emphasizes scalable intellectual property, strategic partnerships, and long-term asset value across entertainment platforms.
ABOUT ATLAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
Atlas Distribution Company is a leading independent U.S. film distributor specializing in the theatrical and digital release of feature films. The company has released more than 50 titles and provides filmmakers with access to studio-level distribution tools through its proprietary CinemaCloudWorks platform. Designed to support data-driven release strategies, CinemaCloudWorks has been utilized on more than 1,200 films, offering real-time analytics, marketing insights, and operational infrastructure to maximize audience reach and performance across markets.
Bald Man Films is a genre-focused production company founded by Cincinnati-born rock musician, actor, and producer Kurt Deimer. The company develops and produces character-driven films with a strong emphasis on horror, thriller, and elevated genre storytelling. Drawing from Deimer’s multidisciplinary background in music, performance, and entrepreneurship, Bald Man Films is committed to creating commercially viable content that blends cinematic storytelling with distinctive, audience-facing characters and original music integration.
ABOUT MIRROR FILMS
Mirror Films is a Los Angeles-based production company founded by producer Eric Barrett, specializing in independent features, documentaries, and commercial content. With a foundation in both narrative and branded storytelling, the company has produced projects across film, television, and music, collaborating with major global brands and artists. Mirror Films is focused on developing and producing compelling, story-driven content that balances artistic vision with broad audience appeal. Notable projects include Scared to Death, Fight Like Hell, and the critically recognized documentary Echo in the Canyon.
ABOUT CONVOKE MEDIA
Convoke Media is a strategic investment and content company operating at the intersection of film, television, digital media, and institutional capital. Founded by veteran media executive Todd Slater, the company focuses on the development, financing, and scaling of premium content with global commercial potential. Over the course of his career, Slater has financed, structured, or secured worldwide distribution for more than 150 motion pictures, with previous senior leadership roles at Paramount Pictures and AEG. Convoke Media emphasizes scalable intellectual property, strategic partnerships, and long-term asset value across entertainment platforms.
ABOUT ATLAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
Atlas Distribution Company is a leading independent U.S. film distributor specializing in the theatrical and digital release of feature films. The company has released more than 50 titles and provides filmmakers with access to studio-level distribution tools through its proprietary CinemaCloudWorks platform. Designed to support data-driven release strategies, CinemaCloudWorks has been utilized on more than 1,200 films, offering real-time analytics, marketing insights, and operational infrastructure to maximize audience reach and performance across markets.
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