Film: Ness, by Adam Scovell

Image: A still from ‘Ness’ by Adam Scovell, an adaptation of the book by Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood

Image: A still from ‘Ness’ by Adam Scovell, an adaptation of the book by Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood

We have long been fans of the writer and filmmaker Adam Scovell here at Elsewhere, from his wonderful debut novel Mothlight (Influx Press, 2019) to his regular contributions on place, landscape, cities and film for a variety of outlets including Caught by the River, Little White Lies and the BFI. So when we heard that Adam was making a film adaptation of the book Ness by Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood (Penguin, 2019), we were interested indeed.

The setting for the book and the film is the evocative landscape of Orford Ness in England, something which the film completely captures. Adam shot the film on a variety of different Super-8 stocks which, in his words, “is an enjoyably organic patchwork suitable for Robert’s porous prose, Stanley’s grainy illustrations and the landscape as a whole.” We wholeheartedly recommend you head over to Adam’s website Celluloid Wickerman to read more about the process of making this wonderful and atmospheric film, and we are really pleased and proud that Adam has given us his blessing to share it here on Elsewhere.

Adam’s second novel How Pale The Winter Has Made Us will be published by Influx Press in 2020, and you can find him on Twitter here.

Uncanny Waters: Upcoming events in London and Hastings

Photo: Katrin Schönig

Photo: Katrin Schönig

Our editor-in-chief Paul Scraton is heading to the UK next week for a couple of events that bring writers, filmmakers and musicians together to explore the topic of uncanny coastlines and waterways, from the Baltic beaches of Paul's book GHOSTS ON THE SHORE (Influx Press) to the canals of London and the coastlines of southern England. The events will take place at The Social in London on the 28 February and at the Electric Palace in Hastings on the 2 March.

Paul will be reading and presenting, with filmmaker Eymelt Sehmer, the short film IN SEARCH OF GHOSTS, a lyrical portrait of the book. Alongside Paul and Eymelt, Gareth E Rees will read from his new book THE STONE TIDE (Influx Press), his novel about tragedy, folklore and eco-apocalypse in Hastings, with a live musical performance of U118, a psychedelic invocation of the town’s infamous beached U-Boat. Finally, Gary Budden, author of HOLLOW SHORES (Dead Ink) and contributor to Elsewhere No.01, will explore the emotional geography of Kent's coastline and London's haunted canals with a reading and GREENTEETH, a wyrd fiction super-8 film directed by Adam Scovell based on one of Gary's stories.

In Hastings, they will also be joined by Rebecca E. Marshall who will be presenting her immersive documentary GLITTER AND STORM, which evokes the magical joys of sea swimming.

If you are anywhere near London or Hastings, we would love to see you at one (or both!) of the events. You can find out more information and get tickets using the following links:

Uncanny Waters - The Social, London - 28 Feb 2018 / Facebook event page Buy tickets
Uncanny Coasts - Electric Palace, Hastings - 2 Mar 2018 / Facebook event page / Buy tickets