From the world of video games to the big screen, Slovenian-born actress and producer Marta Svetek is building an exciting international career. In an exclusive interview with London Daily, she opens up about her latest films, her experience working on the hugely popular ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ franchise, and her ambitions both in front of and behind the camera.
With a career spanning film, television and video games, Marta Svetek is steadily making her mark in the international entertainment industry. Known for her voice acting in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, she has also taken on a variety of screen roles, including appearances in the horror films ‘The Death of Us’ and ‘Savage Prey’. Her creative journey has recently expanded beyond acting, with Svetek stepping into the role of Executive Producer on ‘Savage Prey’, becoming closely involved in the film’s development, production and post-production. Originally from Slovenia, Svetek’s path into the industry has been anything but conventional. From studying business and working in London’s technology sector to discovering her passion for performance through immersive theatre, her journey reflects determination, versatility and a genuine love of storytelling. With her latest action film, ‘One Last Shot’, starring Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren, now available on digital and DVD, and several exciting projects on the horizon, Svetek continues to explore new creative opportunities. In this exclusive conversation with London Daily, she discusses the experiences that have shaped her career, the challenges of bringing characters to life across different mediums and her hopes for the future.
You’ve worked on several exciting projects, including ‘The Death of Us’ and ‘Savage Prey’. Can you tell us about your experiences working on these films and what attracted you to the roles?
They were both very exciting in very different ways. ‘Savage Prey’ I got involved with very early on — David Keith, the writer and director of the film, sent me the very first draft of the script and asked me if I was interested in starring. Needless to say, I was. So much so that shortly after I joined as an Executive Producer, being involved with the film from start to finish, from revisions and securing funding to various parts of post-production, like recording and directing some of the ADR sessions. It was an incredible opportunity and challenge to carry the telling of a story that’s as heartfelt and extreme as ‘Savage Prey’ all the way through, side by side with Dave. It also got me bit by the producing bug, and I already have another script in development! ‘The Death of Us’ was first and foremost exciting because it was Annabella Rich — one of the UK’s true Scream Queens — at the helm of her first horror feature.
“I had met Annabella on the set of ‘St Patrick’s Day Massacre’ and was really blown away by her talent, knowledge and passion for horror. When she offered me the role of Anya I jumped at the chance to be part of the project.”
And when we finally got to watch it at its premiere at FrightFest, it seriously delivered!
Photo credit: Unstable Films
You’re also known for your work on ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, where you’ve brought characters to life through voice acting. What was that experience like, and how does it compare to acting on screen?
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ was a joy to work on, first and foremost because the team at Steel Wool Studios that I worked with was such a lovely team. The writing is great and the passion for the project palpable, so despite being pretty nervous going into the booth on Day 1, I had an absolute blast! To this day, apart from one trailer recording I did from under a duvet in a hotel room due to a very tight deadline, I recorded everything for FNAF at my recording booth at home. I think the only other game I fully recorded from home was ‘Chivalry 2’. It’s a different level of comfort and challenge, because I end up having to engineer the session as well as performing, but I also have all my home comforts right there, which helps when we’re doing late-night recordings for a US time zone. It was also the first time I voiced a child character, and I’m very, very relieved it was so well received! In terms of how it differs from acting for screen, to me it’s the same activity performed under circumstances so different they might as well be different universes. In the booth I can wear the most comfortable clothes, wear no makeup and I don’t need to be off-book with my lines — you often don’t even get the script until the day of recording. But I also can’t use my body or my appearance, or a silent gaze to convey character. At the end of the day, my voice has to do all the heavy lifting. When you step in front of the camera, you suddenly have all these other tools available, but you also have to be extremely mindful of how and when you use them. Both are extremely satisfying challenges.
Your film ‘The Death of Us’ premiered at London’s FrightFest Film Festival. How did it feel to see the film presented to audiences at such a well-known genre festival?
It was such an honour! I was so happy for Annabella’s directorial debut to get the recognition it deserves, and to hear the audience’s reaction was fantastic as well.
Originally from Slovenia, you’ve built an international acting career. What inspired you to pursue acting, and what have been some of the biggest challenges and highlights along the way?
‘Lord of the Rings’! In all seriousness, I was 11 years old when ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ came out, and it was the first time I can remember truly grasping acting for film as a concept. I was hooked. It of course wasn’t a straightforward journey. Slovenia is a small country, so having any kind of sustainable career as an actor there is hard. My parents also didn’t really like the idea, so for a long time it was relegated to hobby I’d sometimes engage in. I ended up going to business school, which actually ended up being the best possible decision for building a career in the entertainment business. A couple of years into living in London and climbing up the ladder in tech, acting found me through a volunteer opportunity at an immersive theatre show called ‘Generation of Z’. Ever since then, I’ve worked relentlessly to build my career, and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Photo credit: Julie Edwards
You’ve worked across film, television and video games. Do you have a favourite medium to work in, and are there particular types of characters or stories you’re most drawn to?
It’s really never been about the medium, it’s all about the story and the team behind it. I’ve always been extremely sensitive around people, call it intuition dialled up to 11.
“When there’s a truly passionate team behind a great story, I’m all in. It’s the best feeling in the world to be in that booth, or on that set with that kind of team and just bring these incredible stories to life.”
In terms of stories and characters I gravitate towards, the keyword would be “epic”. Anything that feels epic. Whether it’s epic in set pieces, in action, in emotion, I’m drawn to things that feel larger than life. Maybe that’s why I’ve clicked so much with stories in video games in particular? I’m always open to different kinds of characters — Ava in ‘Savage Prey’ is definitely different from what I’m usually considered for – but I definitely lean towards strong, authoritative, women. Heroes that don’t have clean hands. Characters that are painted with dark colours that need to find the light.
Looking ahead, what are your ambitions as an actress and producer, and are there any upcoming projects you can share with us?
My ambitions are to eventually start working with bigger budgets in the film space, and bring some more ambitious ideas to life. I have something in the works, but as these things go, it is still years away from being ready to shoot. In games I’m still chasing that fantasy/sci-fi/action lead role, here’s hoping 2027 will be the year! I have several projects still hidden behind NDAs, but I can tell you that you all should go watch my latest project, ‘One Last Shot’, now out on digital and DVD! It’s an absolutely explosive action movie starring action legends Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren, that I had the honour of being a part of.
Featured photo credit: Unstable Films
