The Fifth Minute

From the collection of

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia

The East Anglian Film Archive, the UK's first regional film archive, offers a unique record of the East of England's social and cultural history. As part of the University of East Anglia, we continue to lead moving image heritage research and inspire audience participation through community projects and events. Our collections represent a broad range of amateur and professional creativity, from 1896 to the present day.

The Fifth Minute

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia
1976-01-01
Sound
5m

Nightmarish visions become a reality in this imaginative production that mixes live action, animation, and special effects.

The Fifth Minute' is the second episode of eight in the series 'Other Realms' by writer, director, animator Jon Coley. Coley was just 17 years old when he made this episode. These 'Other Realms' episodes are tales of strange happenings where the bizarre becomes commonplace, melding atmostpheric soundtracks, stop-motion animation, and sophisticated editing techniques.

Jon Coley became dedicated to his passion for filmmaking from a very early age, creating and self-financing many animation and live action productions. He took inspiration from the classic Universal horror movies of the 1920s, introduced to him by his grandmother who was a keen Boris Karloff fan. Coley also took inspiration from the German Expressionist movies of the 1920s and the work of fantasy animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen. In fact, Coley became great friends with Harryhausen, and the two would showcase work to each other.

DIY Animation

Amateur animation auteurs bring their homegrown creations to life

The requirements for making an animated film are pretty low. With a camera that shoots in single frames and an idea in your back pocket, you're well on your way. This collection showcases an assortment of dining table Disneys, who combine homebrewed talent with the all-important dedication and patience required to bring a story to life one frame at a time. Not that this was necessarily a solitary pursuit. From the 1950s onwards networks of amateur animators like The Grasshopper Group collaborated on filmmaking and distribution, and animated shorts were often a highlight of the amateur filmmaking scene.