Lovecraftian Feature 'The Gospel of Arkham' Sets Up Buffalo Shoot for Fall 2026, Casting and Crewing Now

Cosmic horror is heading to Western New York. The Gospel of Arkham: The Prophet, an independent feature rooted in the public-domain mythology of H.P. Lovecraft, is currently in casting and pre-production ahead of a principal photography window running September 21 through October 2, 2026, on location in the Buffalo area. With a compressed twelve-day shoot, a performance-driven sensibility, and a comparatively lean independent footprint, this is the kind of project where crews get built quickly and department heads get hired early. If you want in, now is the time to make your interest known.

At the helm as both writer and director is B. Dave Walters, a creative voice best known in genre circles for his extensive work in tabletop roleplaying game content, voice acting, and Dungeons and Dragons streaming productions, including prominent appearances on Dimension 20 and other major actual-play platforms. Walters has cultivated a devoted following in fantasy and horror fan communities, and his move into feature filmmaking brings with it a built-in audience and a clear aesthetic sensibility rooted in character, mythology, and atmosphere. His script follows six guests who arrive at a remote wellness institute where, as the logline puts it, every door is unlocked and every answer carries a price. The creative team has positioned the project firmly in the tradition of psychological horror, citing The Shining and The Sixth Sense as tonal touchstones rather than jump-scare-driven genre fare. That framing signals a production that will lean heavily on performance, production design, and controlled atmosphere over spectacle or VFX.

The producing team is led by executive producer Ken Trbovich and producer Sean Michael Argo. Argo is a prolific independent filmmaker and novelist with a substantial catalog of low-to-mid-budget genre productions, including multiple entries in the military science fiction and horror spaces. He brings genuine independent production fluency to the project, which matters considerably on a tight shooting schedule like this one. Joe Carleton is attached as both line producer and casting director, a dual role that is not uncommon on tightly budgeted independent features and one that suggests the production is running a lean central team. Carleton's combined role means that crew inquiries and talent submissions may flow through the same office, so professionals reaching out should be clear about which capacity they are approaching in.

The production will shoot on location in Western New York, based out of the Buffalo area. Buffalo has quietly become one of the more active production markets in the state outside of New York City, supported by New York State's 25 to 35 percent tax credit program, which applies to qualified independent productions shooting outside of the five boroughs. The region offers a strong mix of practical locations, from grand historic architecture and industrial interiors to dense woodland and rural estates, all of which are well-suited to the kind of atmosphere-forward horror this project is reaching for. The local crew base in Buffalo is solid for independent productions, with a number of experienced IATSE members and non-union freelancers working regularly in the market. Department heads are frequently imported from New York City or brought in from other regional hubs, but local crew often fills out the below-the-line roster, which is worth noting for Western New York-based technicians actively looking for fall work.

Given the twelve-day principal photography window and the genre, the production's most pressing crew needs are likely in areas that directly serve the film's stated identity. A production designer and art department team capable of transforming a practical location into a convincing, unsettling wellness institute will be central to making the concept work on an independent budget. Similarly, a cinematographer with experience in atmospheric, psychological horror, someone comfortable with controlled natural light, deliberate camera movement, and shadow-heavy interiors, will be essential to achieving the tonal goals Walters has outlined. A practical locations team that can secure a single dominant location or small cluster of locations capable of standing in for the institute will also be doing heavy lifting on this shoot. Costume and hair and makeup departments should expect character-specific, grounded work rather than creature effects, though the cosmic horror genre leaves room for the unexpected. Given the independent scale, this production will almost certainly require crew comfortable working efficiently in compressed conditions.

For working professionals in the Buffalo and greater Western New York market, and for genre-experienced crew elsewhere willing to travel, The Gospel of Arkham represents a genuine opportunity to get involved in a passion-driven independent horror feature from a first-time feature director with real genre credibility and an established audience. The full listing on ProductionList.com includes production contact information, office details, and scheduling updates as they are confirmed. With the shoot still roughly seven months out, pre-production staffing is the active phase right now, and the hiring window for department heads and key crew is open. Check the listing, get your materials current, and reach out.

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