Animated documentary / Urban visual essay • Manchester • 3 weeks
Pre-production
1 week
Production
1 week
Post-production
1 week
Published
Launch on Manchester International Festival digital platform
This project transforms Manchester's forgotten ghost signs—those faded painted advertisements on brick walls—into animated characters that tell the story of the city's industrial heritage. Using a blend of live-action footage of Northern Quarter and Ancoats locations with frame-by-frame animation, we'll create a visual essay where the city's walls literally come to life. What makes this unique is the theatrical performance element—our actor will interact with these animated signs as a modern-day flâneur, creating a dialogue between Manchester's past and present. The project taps into current trends of urban exploration, heritage revival, and mixed-media storytelling while celebrating Manchester's distinctive character. This isn't just a documentary; it's a magical realist tour through the city's collective memory.
This project transforms Manchester's forgotten ghost signs—those faded painted advertisements on brick walls—into animated characters that tell the story of the city's industrial heritage. Using a blend of live-action footage of Northern Quarter and Ancoats locations with frame-by-frame animation, we'll create a visual essay where the city's walls literally come to life. What makes this unique is the theatrical performance element—our actor will interact with these animated signs as a modern-day flâneur, creating a dialogue between Manchester's past and present. The project taps into current trends of urban exploration, heritage revival, and mixed-media storytelling while celebrating Manchester's distinctive character. This isn't just a documentary; it's a magical realist tour through the city's collective memory.
5 roles still open