Feature documentary
Auditopia: A Few Bad Apples
The strange, confrontational and often surreal world of UK public auditing - what happens when cameras, public institutions, social media and confrontation collide.
Production co. · London · Est. 02/02/2022
Dark Zone Films
Independent films. Strange stories.
No permission required.
Original films, documentaries, music videos and vertical drama - developed from the first strange idea through production, post and release.
SC.01 Featured · Vertical drama series · 2026
CAUGHT OUT!
Out 1 Oct 2026
One mistake. One ID card. One boss who knows too much.
After an office worker becomes implicated in a disastrous night at work, his boss uses what he knows to blackmail him into an escalating series of humiliating, dangerous and increasingly illegal tasks.
Fast, uncomfortable and darkly funny, CAUGHT OUT! is an original Dark Zone Films vertical drama built specifically for mobile audiences.
Written & directed by Mikey Bharj · Produced by Dark Zone Films
REC
00:14:22:07
SC.01A On set
Watching the take
Mikey directing on the CAUGHT OUT! set, watching a take come back on the monitor.
Shot on location rather than a built set, and framed vertically for mobile - the series is in post-production now.
Directed by Mikey Bharj · Dark Zone Films
From the edit · in post-production now
SC.02 Selected work
The back catalogue
Music & visuals
Music videos
Original visual concepts and music video production for independent artists - including Clementine by Oliver Shaw, directed by Mikey Bharj.
SC.03 Rate card
Make one with us
We take a scripted vertical series from a first idea all the way to launch - development, casting, shooting, edit, sound and release assets. CAUGHT OUT! is that whole thing run on our own project, out 1 October. These packages put that same end-to-end production process behind yours.
Bronze
Proof of concept
From £5,000
3-5 episodes
A small scripted vertical concept, made to prove the idea works. Development, one shoot day, edit, sound and captions.
Silver
Mini series
From £11,000
8-12 episodes
A short run with a proper arc. Development, casting support, up to two shoot days, full post-production and a trailer.
Gold
Full series production
From £18,000
Your concept
You bring the idea or script. We shape it and produce the complete series, from pre-production to final delivery - directing, post, trailer and launch assets.
Platinum
Original series creation
From £25,000
Our concept
You bring a brief or an objective. We create the whole thing from scratch - concept, writing, casting, production, directing, post and launch materials.
Every project is bespoke. Final cost depends on scope, cast, locations, crew and production requirements.
Start a projectSC.04 End credits
The team
Founder · Writer · Director · Actor
Mikey Bharj
London filmmaker, writer, director, actor and comedian. Mikey takes projects from the first strange idea through writing, directing, shooting, editing and release - feature film Neon Tank, documentary Auditopia: A Few Bad Apples and vertical drama CAUGHT OUT! among them. His background in filmmaking, performance and comedy gives Dark Zone's work its character-driven style.
IMDbProducer · Production · Props
Stephen Ruttley
A key member of the production team across props, on-set support, assistant directing and creative problem-solving - often the person responsible for figuring out how the increasingly questionable ideas are going to work in the real world.
Producer · Creative Production · Props
Jacob Clubbs
Works across creative production, props and practical filmmaking - from developing visual ideas to sourcing, building and figuring out what a production actually needs to turn concepts into physical reality.
Digital & Technology · Executive Producer, CAUGHT OUT!
Thomas Knee
Tom joined the Dark Zone madness through CAUGHT OUT!, backing the series as executive producer. He brings the technology side to Dark Zone - web, digital strategy and online infrastructure - and built the digital world around the series, from websites to the rollout behind it.
SC.05 Final scene
Work with Dark Zone
Production enquiries, collaborations, casting, music videos, partnerships - or just tell us about your strange idea.
hello@darkzonefilms.com