Shadowmancer

Shadowmancer - Press

Last Update: 03 July 2004
(You need a browser capable of viewing tables to see this page properly)

June 30, 2004

Shadowmancer may put Whitby on movie map

by Mark Branagan

Hollywood film makers are promising to work their magic on Yorkshire

vicar Graham Taylor's spinechiller Shadowmancer, and put Whitby on the

movie map.

Lisa Marie Butkewitz and Steve Delaportas, of Fortitude Films, aim to

outdo Harry Potter at the box office and say the Shadowmancer movie

could even go head to head with the fourth Hogwarts film.

There is also a chance for international stardom for local youngsters,

since the two child heroes in Mr Taylor's book will probably be selected

with an open casting in the area.

Mr Taylor said yesterday: "I do not want them to be played by some kid

with a posh accent from a stage school in London. I want someone with

grit."

Fortitude, based in New York and Los Angeles, is paying the £16,000-a-year

vicar of Cloughton, near Scarborough, more than £6m for the rights to the

book, and its sequel, Wormwood.

But Mr Taylor only agreed to the deal provided it was made a condition of

the contract that the film is shot locally. He even rejected an approach by

Roman Polanski because the director is not allowed to enter the UK, and

wanted to make it in Europe.

Shadowmancer will be filmed in Whitby &SHY; around the Church Stairs, St

Mary's Church, and the White Horse and Griffin pub restaurant, which all

feature in the book. Shooting is also planned at the Raven Hall Hotel,

Ravenscar, Robin Hood's Bay, and Boggle Hole.

Whitby Mayor Rob Broadley said: "I'm hoping Shadowmancer will put

Whitby firmly onto the world stage."

Ms Butkewitz came across Shadowmancer when it was still unknown in the

US. She said: "It's the most amazing book I have ever read, apart from

the Bible. Hollywood is desperately short of fresh, original stories."

Mr Delaportas said: "It is great to have the support of the local people here.

We can't wait to start work."

Mr Taylor is planning to play a cameo in the film, and hopes Sean Bean will

star. He joked: "My wife has a crush on him, so I want to play a character

who punches him in the face."