`No, it's not at all like the Blair Witch Project - the camera work is much better for starters," quips Valerie Russell when asked about comparisons between Revelation Films' first project, Nadir and the most commercially successful independent film ever made.
Valerie set up Revelation Films with her friend Jessie Kirby from Dungarvan in May 1999 and they have spent the past year bringing Nadir to fruition at a total cost of £50,000.
Small change in Hollywood terms but not for a fledgling independent film company.
"Raising funds has been our biggest obstacle to date - it's been financed solely by private investors and a £500 grant from Cork Corporation, but the cast and crew have all worked on deferred fees," said Valerie, who worked as producer, production manager and location manager on the film.
Filming began last October with the 18-strong cast and crew working from a hostel in Dungarvan during a three-week shoot.
A number of scenes had to be reshot in January, including one rather cold scene when actress Eva O'Riordan had to emerge from the sea at Myrtleville in Cork.
Described as "a dark drama", Nadir follows a group of friends who have become self-absorbed and elitist in their friendship, until good and evil enter their lives and relationships start to unravel - all climaxing in a terrifying conclusion for the central character, Lee, played by Fiona Doyle.
If it sounds like the stuff of movies, then good - that's exactly what Valerie and Jessie are hoping for their low-budget feature, which got its first public screening to an invited and appreciative audience in the Kino Cinema last night.
"It's independently made and anything independent is rough and it does need another sound edit - we know that, but we reckon it's good enough to get a buyer interested - we have five tapes out with distributors at the moment and we're hoping one of them will pick up on it," said Valerie.
"It's very difficult when you don't have a track record - we don't see Nadir making millions for us but we see it as enabling us to make a breakthrough.
"We'd like to set up our company full time in Cork to shoot more films. We have plenty of ideas but we need more backing to see them through."