Trying to hunt down a short film "Hull To Hornsea"

[Dave]

I saw a short film on Channel4 years ago now (in the days when they used to screen quite a lot of them during the late night schedule).

The film I really want to see again was just like one of those sped up train journeys (from the driver's perspective) that everyone has seen at some point. This short film started like one of those, but at an early point in proceedings, the camera goes off the tracks and just keeps going through country side, estates, down country lanes and actually through buildings! It kept to the same view and speed throughout. I found it utterly mesmerising at the time. I really want to see it again! Has anyone here ever seen it, or know if it's online anywhere?
Not sure what it was called, but I think it was something along the lines of "10.15 to Paddington". It's probably not that though because that's not giving me any good results in web searches.

[RichK]

B-zar Dave, I was thinking about this not that long ago. As I recall did it not end up at the coast? I missed the start but remember the camera going down streets, through fields, through buildings as you say - and did it not go into a tv screen at one point, with the next "scene" being the one on the screen? Here's the thing though, I don't know the name of it either, would really like to see it again.

[Dave]

Amazing! Someone else has seen it!

I also think it ends at the coast.... which made me think that it perhaps mentions 'coast' in the title.
Another word that it may contain in its title is: "Ticket"

At the beginning, I think it opens on a clock (like many of the famous train journey films ), and then shows a conductor's hands taking tickets?
We then get the view from the front of the train stationary in the station. The train slowly speeds up, takes a few turns and then the view just leaves the tracks entirely.

I remember watching it, and at first I was happy enough that it appeared as though it was going to be one of those old train journey films (they're always somehow quite relaxing)... but when the camera left the track I think I was totally amazed, and just sat there dumbfounded for the rest of the film... although I think I may recall it went on maybe a bit too long.

Shame you missed the beginning though Rich as that kind of makes it all the more amazing.

Weird you thought of it recently though... I've been having a few strangely telepathic moments lately! haha

[RydCook]

Wow, sounds like an amazing film, i really wanna see it now! Hope someone finds it!

[Dave]

I think that the night it was shown on Channel4, they also showed another great short called "Waiting For Go".
It was a weird comedy about a couple of cars waiting at traffic lights in the middle of nowhere.... and then a man dressed as a chicken starts dancing at the traffic lights (to advertise a local business). The lights don't change, so the people are still waiting, but eventually the chicken man passes out from the heat... the people in the car go to his aid, and then I'm sure it got more bizarre. haha

I actually managed to find a clip of that on the internet! Not the whole thing though sadly (which is apparently 15 minutes long).
www.customflix.com/601138
It seems to be a site where you can pick a collection of short films you want to buy, and they'll make a DVD compilation of your choices.

The train film was British.... I'm pretty sure!

[Dave]

Nearly a year later and I have made some progress in tracking this short film down..... there's good news and very frustrating bad news....

I managed to track down the film's title after trying lots of weird search combos in Google.
It is called "Hull To Hornsea" and was directed by Kevin Walton.

Armed with that info I searched again only to get very meagre results.
The BFI have it listed on their site with the description:

Experimental film following the route of a dismantled railway line.
A hyper-real interpretation of an original railway journey. The film is shot along a dismantled line using stop-frame photography. The engine travels at breakneck speed, obliterating all obstacles built over the original route.

There's no question that this is the correct film!
Now all the 'off-track' stuff makes sense and wasn't just done to look cool (which it does though anyway!).

Channel4 have it listed on their site... and I nearly soiled myself when I saw the two links on the page to watch it in a HIGH or LOW quality version! Then my heart began to sank as I remembered how the Shane's World stuff is non-functioning on the same site. I clicked the links anyway, but as expected, the files no longer exist! So near yet so far!

Rich, do you have any sneaky contacts to dig out a copy now that you know the title and the director?

The BFI site even had the TV transmission info:

Transmission date
16/02/1999
Country
Great Britain
Series/Slot
SHOOTING GALLERY
Start time
00:15
Stop time
00:25
Duration
10 mins.
Company
Not available
Channel
Channel Four

The BFI page: ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/562790?view=synopsis

The Channel4 page: www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=111178

[Dave]

I think I have tracked down the producer of this short film now. He seems to be a senior lecturer in contemporary media/ film and video (somthing along those lines).. at Manchester Uni.

I have sent him an email to see if he can help... and to let me know if he is the same person that I think he is! haha

[RichK]

Nice one Dave, I did have a bit of a look online but a bit busy at the moment. I'm on a bit of a BBC vibe at the moment, and most of my friends at C4 (C4 commissioned the Shooting Gallery) have moved on to other things, so I don't have an obvious quick way of getting hold of this. See how you get on, and I'll try to do some digging when I get a minute if you're unsuccessful.
It had better be as good as we remember it after all this fuss!

[Dazza]

Dave years ago someone lent me a VHS tape which was full of shooting galley films they had recorded off channel 4, I think I still have it and have been meaning to give it a watch again so when I get a chance I'll see if the film you mention is on it, as you never know.

I watched the tape a couple of years ago and can't recall it being on there but I'll double check as I cannot really remember exactly what was on it, I'll let you know one way or another once I've rewatched.

[Dave]

Nov 6, 2007 14:09:18 GMT Dazza said:

Dave years ago someone lent me a VHS tape which was full of shooting galley films they had recorded off channel 4, I think I still have it and have been meaning to give it a watch again so when I get a chance I'll see if the film you mention is on it, as you never know.

I watched the tape a couple of years ago and can't recall it being on there but I'll double check as I cannot really remember exactly what was on it, I'll let you know one way or another once I've rewatched.

Did you ever check the tape?

[Gonga]

Someone did something similar in this "unnoficial" music video for the KLUTE song "Never Never"



In this they drive from San Fran to NY.

Incidently KLUTE is shit hot, not least because he let me use 3 tracks off his album for my film free of charge, but just because his music is shit hot.

[onsuper8]

Hull to Hornsea is/was a fantastic little film. It was a stop motion time lapse following the abandoned route of the railway from (you guessed it) Hull to Hornsea. It used to be on the long defunct bt.getoutthere site where I used to have some of my films.

I haven't seen it for ages but what I do remember was that the camera went through a lot of the buildings that had been built over the route with some great whooshing sound effects as the went through people's front rooms. It was genius! Maybe shot on Super 8 in stop frame mode - can't remember!!!

It sort of inspired (in a very obtuse sort of way) my unofficial film (since adopted by them) for Stereolab's 'Ironman' - - unsurprisingly shot on Super 8!

[Dazza]

May 29, 2008 10:15:22 GMT Dave said:

Nov 6, 2007 14:09:18 GMT Dazza said:

Dave years ago someone lent me a VHS tape which was full of shooting galley films they had recorded off channel 4, I think I still have it and have been meaning to give it a watch again so when I get a chance I'll see if the film you mention is on it, as you never know.

I watched the tape a couple of years ago and can't recall it being on there but I'll double check as I cannot really remember exactly what was on it, I'll let you know one way or another once I've rewatched.

Did you ever check the tape?

Sorry Dave I spent ages one day searching for that VHS tape and couldnt find it anywhere in the house. Some berk must have thrown it out and there were loads of good old shorts on it

[shindig]

I could just post that thing on youtube where the Fred Dibnah brigade take a Metro to Tynemouth.

God, I fucking love trains.

[RichK]

Dave, did you ever get a reply from the director? Obviously not. Shall we all try emailing him [e-mail] - would that be the right address? can't believe this thread has been bumped.

Ahhh.. here's an idea for you Dave, assuming the dvd fan commentary ever gets finished, how about doing a similar film to Hull to Hornsea but going from somewhere else. People on this site could all do a leg of the journey. I'd love to see London to Weston-Super-Mare maybe...!! Just a thought.