Shadowman

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.

Shadowman

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia
Harlesden
1994-01-01
Sound
7m

A female protagonist falls prey to the ‘Shadowman', who stalks his victim before attack. Uses stop-motion animation as well as live action.

Animator and filmmaker Jon Coley's eighth film completes the ‘Other Realms' series intended for television screening. Coley enlists the help of friend and professional model Janine Ashton who takes the lead role alongside Coley's predatory stop-motion ‘Shadowman' figure, inspired by the Count Orlok character in the 1922 silent horror movie Nosferatu.

The live action was shot in 1994 on location at Harleston's Masonic Rooms (The Old Mineral Works), produced as part of another film, which sadly had to be abandoned due to financial limitations. Almost ten years later, in 2001, Coley created the animated figure and reworked his footage, also adding a soundtrack to create this episode.

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.