Inside "Roach": Angelica Gayle Redefines Horror Through Control and Constraint

Three Key Takeaways

• Angelica Gayle’s Roach is a meticulously crafted horror short that blends personal narrative with genre subversion.
• The film’s production exemplifies independent filmmaking’s power to transform creative limitations into unique storytelling freedoms.
• Roach marks a pivotal moment in Gayle’s career, highlighting her commitment to diverse representation and commercial viability within genre film.

British filmmaker Angelica E. Gayle brings her debut short film Roach to TRC Shorts Fest, a tense and visually rich horror story about a young girl’s unsettling job cleaning an elderly man’s house.

With a talented team including cinematographer Bart Bazaz, production designer Lucy Martin, editor Andy Sowerby, and composer Lucas Wide, Roach is an atmospheric exploration of trust, trauma, and hidden horrors.

The film has already premiered at the BAFTA-qualifying Norwich Film Festival, gaining notable attention for its stylistic precision and thematic depth.

What drew you to make Roach? Why this story, and why now?

Roach was never supposed to be a timely project; it was something I wanted to make because I was tired of calling myself a filmmaker and hadn’t made a short. After not meeting probation on my first job after a long stint of unemployment, I felt rather lost and aimless and instead of jumping into the next opportunity, it was time to anchor my creativity into a meaningful project. Roach was a 7 page script that could be executed with minimal preparation and the process from writing to shooting only took 8 weeks. I knew it was something I could turn around quickly with the skills I had and considering I had a lot of time on my hands, I took a leap of faith and made something I’m proud of.

“Roach is an expose of a young, mixed race girl dealing with the discomfort of an adult who abused her trust.”

What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?

What surprised me was how smoothly everything went! As the writer, director and producer on the project I was wearing multiple hats and had to trust myself to lead this project single handedly. But with thorough planning and an exceptional team who understood the vision, Roach came out exactly the way I wanted it to, which is a rarity for your first project but I fought hard to make it happen. Our opening shot was supposed to be something else compositionally and through the power of editing we made this transition look seamless which definitely taught me that sometimes, things can be fixed in post, you just need to be open to new ideas.

Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?

All of Roach is uniquely my own; it's an expose of a young, mixed race girl dealing with the discomfort of an adult who abused her trust. This is a combination of cinematic references I’ve stitched together whilst subverting a genre I didn’t intend to start working in but knew I could make it my own. The idea that everything was accounted for - production design, cinematography, lighting, costume, even title design - is definitely my style coming through; everything is thought about in meticulous detail.

What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?

Choosing the right location wasn’t necessarily a hard decision but it was a continuing conversation of how we could make the space work for us. The house we had was a blessing and was already pre-dressed, meaning we had the freedom to create shots that were layered and appealing to the eye.

What do you hope audiences take away from your film?

Nothing too rigid but I hope the audience are surprised. Horror is a space that can falter if it reaches the point of being overexplanatory and I’m confident Roach will not only provide an audience a new perspective on horror but allow them to be immersed in a story that requires you to really pay attention. We aren’t served these grandiose scenes of emotional expression or even dialogue from our characters, but rather textured images that when pieced together, naturally form the narrative and framework of this film and allow a wide interpretation after watching it. Roach isn’t a surface level short film by any means; it relies heavily on its environment through remarkable production design by Lucy Martin and the visual landscape, carved and supported by cinematographer Bart Bazaz. Their collaboration along with my entire crew and the way I translated this story to them has meant we are giving an audience a feast for the eyes.

“I refused to make compromises or cut corners for the sake of ease and comfort.”

How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?

Technicality both in story and directorial execution always comes first. I’m a real learner when it comes to writing and directing and have made an effort to watch a lot and read about how storytelling works. The fluidity of experimental filmmaking doesn’t work for me as I believe these films don’t always penetrate the commercial market which is where I want to be.

What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?

Hollywood is a system but it's also a formula and I feel it's important that you learn this and see how you can make it your own. Roach taught me to lead with attentiveness but also openness to new ideas. Making sure every aspect of the production is talked and accounted for only makes a better film. I knew before writing Roach that I want to make films that exclusively feature women or men of colour in leading roles and will continue this regardless of genre or subject matter. Though my short films may not be “festival worthy”, making sure they’re crowd pleasers means more to me as it shows commercial potential in the long term.

Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?

The greatest strength of independent filmmaking is that it's limitless with limits. By this I mean the best stories come out of limitations and though you may not have the means of a Studio backed production, you have the creative freedom to tell whatever story you want. This was apparent in Roach’s production as I had full control of the timeline, script and execution of the project. It’s not a freeing experience I will probably ever be able to have once I connect with Studios and bigger production companies but I’m glad I followed the spirit of independent filmmaking, knew my limitations and yet didn’t compromise the story I wanted to tell.

What does it mean to you to have your film selected for TRC Shorts Fest?

A great deal! I have followed TRC for a couple of years and always feel privileged to be involved in women’s spaces in cinema.

“The greatest strength of independent filmmaking is that it's limitless with limits.”

Where do you see this film going next?

Hopefully onto online streaming; I think Omeleto would be a perfect home for Roach.

“At the core of all my work is a desire to respect and then fuck the system."

Cast & Crew

• Ruby Crepin-Glyne — Actress (Bonnie); Oxford School of Drama graduate with theatre and TV credits.
• Paul Roylance — Actor (Mr. Roach); veteran performer with a diverse background in theatre, dance, and film.