Nightwalking
Encyclopedia
Nightwalking is a 2008 British
short film comedy horror
directed by Daniel Cormack, starring Raquel Cassidy
and Lloyd Woolf
.
In 2010, Nightwalking was selected for preservation by the British Film Institute's National Archive
and was archived by the British Universities Film and Video Council as part of their Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT).
) hears footsteps behind her and becomes convinced she's being followed as she walks down a dark path on her way home. She ponders various strategies such as pretending to do up her shoes in order to let her follower overtake her or simply running away, but dismisses each idea as endangering her even more. Eventually she screws up her courage to turn around and confront the man behind her, but when she does so she sees nothing except a mobile phone glowing on the ground as it calls somebody. James (Lloyd Woolf
), her follower, has actually been going out of his way to avoid the impression he is following her or is a threat, but every time he does so it somehow backfires. He tries speeding up to overtake her, but this only makes Martha walk faster. He ponders taking a different route, but there are no turnings off the path they are walking down. Eventually he decides to make a "loud non-threatening phone call" to his mum, reasoning that: "I bet rapists never call their mums." However as he is distracted with finding her number in his phone, he fails to notice a manhole in the ground and falls head over heels into it, his phone flying to the ground near Martha's feet.
Shorts Competition in 2008. It quickly became the most viewed film attracting over 12,300 views and hundreds of comments. The judges initially shortlisted the film for the Grand Prize. However, when the film came to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification
it was given a 12a certificate, thus disqualifying it from the competition, which required that the 12 shortlisted films were certified as a PG or U.
as part of "a series of short original films produced by a variety of talented writers and directors"; the first time in over 8 years that Channel 4 had acquired and broadcast independent short films.
Britishness
Britishness is the state or quality of being British, or of embodying British characteristics, and is used to refer to that which binds and distinguishes the British people and forms the basis of their unity and identity, or else to explain expressions of British culture—such as habits, behaviours...
short film comedy horror
Comedy horror
Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary and film genre, combining elements of comedy and horror fiction. The comedy horror genre almost always inevitably crosses over with the black comedy genre; and in some respects could be considered a subset of it.The short story "The Legend...
directed by Daniel Cormack, starring Raquel Cassidy
Raquel Cassidy
Raquel Josephine Dominic Cassidy is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her television roles as Susan Gately in Teachers , the Home Office Junior Minister Jo Porter in Party Animals, and Mel in Lead Balloon, as well as her various stage works.-Filmography:-Selected...
and Lloyd Woolf
Lloyd Woolf
Lloyd Woolf is a British comedian and member of the four man group Cowards, which also includes Tim Key, Tom Basden and Stefan Golaszewski.Woolf was born in Swansea...
.
In 2010, Nightwalking was selected for preservation by the British Film Institute's National Archive
BFI National Archive
The BFI National Archive is a department of the British Film Institute, and one of the largest film archives in the world. It was originally set up as the National Film Library in 1935; its first curator was Ernest Lindgren. In 1955 its name became the National Film Archive, and in 1992, the...
and was archived by the British Universities Film and Video Council as part of their Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT).
Plot
Returning from a night out, Martha (Raquel CassidyRaquel Cassidy
Raquel Josephine Dominic Cassidy is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her television roles as Susan Gately in Teachers , the Home Office Junior Minister Jo Porter in Party Animals, and Mel in Lead Balloon, as well as her various stage works.-Filmography:-Selected...
) hears footsteps behind her and becomes convinced she's being followed as she walks down a dark path on her way home. She ponders various strategies such as pretending to do up her shoes in order to let her follower overtake her or simply running away, but dismisses each idea as endangering her even more. Eventually she screws up her courage to turn around and confront the man behind her, but when she does so she sees nothing except a mobile phone glowing on the ground as it calls somebody. James (Lloyd Woolf
Lloyd Woolf
Lloyd Woolf is a British comedian and member of the four man group Cowards, which also includes Tim Key, Tom Basden and Stefan Golaszewski.Woolf was born in Swansea...
), her follower, has actually been going out of his way to avoid the impression he is following her or is a threat, but every time he does so it somehow backfires. He tries speeding up to overtake her, but this only makes Martha walk faster. He ponders taking a different route, but there are no turnings off the path they are walking down. Eventually he decides to make a "loud non-threatening phone call" to his mum, reasoning that: "I bet rapists never call their mums." However as he is distracted with finding her number in his phone, he fails to notice a manhole in the ground and falls head over heels into it, his phone flying to the ground near Martha's feet.
Release
Nightwalking was originally released online as part of the inaugural Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
Shorts Competition in 2008. It quickly became the most viewed film attracting over 12,300 views and hundreds of comments. The judges initially shortlisted the film for the Grand Prize. However, when the film came to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
it was given a 12a certificate, thus disqualifying it from the competition, which required that the 12 shortlisted films were certified as a PG or U.
Festivals
| Year | Festival | Programme Title | Country | Première Status Premiere A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media... |
| 2008 | X'08 International Disability Film Festival | Director's Showcase: Daniel Cormack | UK | World |
| 2008 | Shooting People Shooting People Shooting People is an international social network for independent filmmakers that was founded in 1998 by Cath Le Couteur and Jess Search. With over 35,000 subscribers in the UK and NY, members share resources and knowledge to get their films made and seen.... Split Focus at the BFI BFI BFI may refer to:* Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, a UK government agency* The IATA airport code for Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington* British Film Institute, a British charitable organisation... |
Split Focus: Daniel Cormack / Kara Miller | UK | |
| 2008 | Wimbledon Shorts Film Festival | Wimbledon Shorts Film Competition | UK | |
| 2008 | Shot by the Sea: Hastings Film Festival |
Festival Launch Prior to Persepolis Persepolis (film) Persepolis is a 2007 French animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The story... Prior to Persepolis Persepolis (film) Persepolis is a 2007 French animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The story... |
UK | |
| 2008 | Canary Wharf Film Festival | Short Film UK | UK | |
| 2008 | Cornwall Film Festival Cornwall Film Festival The Cornwall Film Festival is an annual festival started in 2001 which focuses on Cornish film making, offering local and national premieres, and hosts masterclasses, workshops and discussions for everyone from the enthusiast to the professional.The festival supports Cornish film making in the... |
Another Country International Short Film Award | UK | |
| 2008 | Portobello Film Festival Portobello Film Festival The Portobello Film Festival is an independent international film festival based in London, which annually premiers over 700 new films, including features, shorts, documentaries, music films and animation. Additionally, workshops and talks with top film directors are also featured. Admission to... |
London Filmmakers Convention - Day 2 | UK | |
| 2008 | Compass of Mystery Festival | Five Minutes of Mystery | UK | |
| 2008 | Hello Digital Film Festival | Prior to the feature presentation of 28 Days Later 28 Days Later 28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston... |
UK | |
| 2008 | Filmstock International Film Festival | Short Film Weekend 02 | UK | |
| 2009 | CAN Leicester Film Festival Leicester International Short Film Festival The Leicester International Short Film Festival began with humble beginnings back in 1996 using the name, "Seconds Out". the intention had been to exhibit work created by the U.K's east midlands film making community... |
Day 2 | UK | |
| 2009 | The End of the Pier International Film Festival The End of the Pier International Film Festival The End of the Pier International Film Festival is a not-for profit independent film festival based in West Sussex, England. The festival began in 2002 and showed work by local film makers, but it has since grown to showcase shorts and features from all over the world... |
Comedy Drama Shorts | UK | |
| 2009 | Nickel Independent Film Festival Nickel Film Festival The Nickel Independent Film Festival is an annual film festival held in St. John's, Canada. The Festival was conceived in 2001 by filmmaker Roger Maunder to allow local filmmakers to exhibit their works of filmography... |
Shorts | Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Canadian Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
| 2010 | Limelight Film & Arts Awards | Best Comedy category | UK | |
| 2011 | Rob Knox Rob Knox Robert Arthur "Rob" Knox was an English actor who portrayed Marcus Belby in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and had signed to appear in the planned film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... Film Festival |
Festival | UK |
Broadcast
In 2010, Nightwalking was broadcast on Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
as part of "a series of short original films produced by a variety of talented writers and directors"; the first time in over 8 years that Channel 4 had acquired and broadcast independent short films.
Awards & Nominations
| Rank | Award | Awarding Body | Nominee | Year |
| Winner | Best Merton Filmmaker Award | Wimbledon Shorts Film Competition | Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
| Nominated | Short Film UK Award | Canary Wharf Film Festival | Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
| Nominated | Another Country International Short Film Award | Cornwall Film Festival Cornwall Film Festival The Cornwall Film Festival is an annual festival started in 2001 which focuses on Cornish film making, offering local and national premieres, and hosts masterclasses, workshops and discussions for everyone from the enthusiast to the professional.The festival supports Cornish film making in the... |
Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
| Nominated | Five Minutes of Mystery - Best Film Award | Compass of Mystery Film Festival | Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
| Nominated | Golden Monkey Award | CAN Leicester Film Festival Leicester International Short Film Festival The Leicester International Short Film Festival began with humble beginnings back in 1996 using the name, "Seconds Out". the intention had been to exhibit work created by the U.K's east midlands film making community... |
Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
| Nominated | Best Comedy Award | Limelight Film & Arts Awards | Daniel Cormack | 2010 |
| Shortlisted (Disqualified) | Virgin Media Shorts Award | Virgin Media Virgin Media Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom... |
Daniel Cormack | 2008 |
External links
- Actaeon Films Official Production Company website
- Network Ireland Television Official Distributor website
- Nightwalking at the British CouncilBritish CouncilThe British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
British Films Directory - Nightwalking at the Complete Index to World FilmComplete Index to World FilmThe Complete Index to World Film is an online database of information related to movies. Citwf, compiled online by Alan Goble and Valan Publishing since 2004, is a Guinness Record as the world's largest published film-related database, with over 694,400 title entries.In 1990, The Complete Index to...