The Legend of Jan Tregeagle | beautifully handmade animation crowdfunder

Magical, mysterious, ambitious, involving and oh so time consuming, The Legend of Jan Tregeagle is a stop motion story about a wicked man trying to escape being sent to hell.

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What is a beautifully and truly handmade film has a crowdfunder to not only get the film closer to completion – a very solid 60% has already been completed – but to also provide work for a young animator.

A story that wouldn’t let me go

Director – and strong support of the local filmmaking scene – Simon Tytherleigh has been spending countless hours at the bottom of his garden puppets, building miniature sets, designing and constructing camera motion control rigs, animating frame by frame, mostly alone, “driven by a story that wouldn’t let me go”.

The Legend of Jan Tregeagle: atmospheric, hand-made and full of charm

The Legend of Jan Tregeagle follows the twists and turns in a tale of a character that actually existed. Although whether that character was really chased across Cornwall by the Hounds of Hell, or got stuck in a chapel window or was given impossible tasks to do until Judgment Day is lost in mystery of time.

Redemption and forgiveness

“It’s a story for adults and older children about moral responsibility, actions having consequences, and ultimately about redemption and forgiveness,” says Simon on the Kickstarter page.

“This 20-minute stop motion film is now coming close to completion,” says Simon. “It has taken patience, stubbornness and a deep love of craft to get it this far, and now I am asking for your help to get it over the line.”

Craft and care

It is also filled with a wonderful connection to place, legend and storytelling. Each scene that we’ve seen conveys deep care and a living sense of the twilight world of folk fable.

Simon Tytherleigh: Bringing his experience of working in television, theatre and as an independent filmmaker to this project

Simon has vast experience in the screen world and storyteller as a special make-up effects artist, a filmmaker, actor and from his work in theatre. He has also helped, supported and mentored plenty of local filmmakers.

Take a look at the depth of The Legend of Jan Tregeagle and you may even get a puppet of you in the film.