The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
The Shooting of Emily Jane
An intriguing film of an amateur filming a documentary about Emily Brontë on location, up on the Yorkshire moors, and editing it in his home.
From the collection of:
Overview
A rare example of one amateur filmmaker filming another at work. In this case Gordon Riley films his fellow member of Leeds Movie Makers, Jack Eley, making his highly accomplished 1980 documentary about Emily Bronte. The behind-the-scenes footage shows Jack filming on Top Withens, the possible location of Wuthering Heights, writing the script, making the credits and editing the film.
Gordon Riley made a significant collection of films during the 1960s and ‘70s, especially local railway films. Jack Eley’s film was unusual for an amateur film in being made with outside support, in this case of the Brontë Society and the Yorkshire Arts Association. This wasn’t the first time that Gordon Riley and Jack Eley may have been involved in filming the making of a film: they were both associated with Leeds Mercury Movie Makers, which made a film ‘Crash Spectacular’, showing the behind the scenes filming of Alan Sidi’s ‘Devil God’ (1974), also made with the help of the Yorkshire Arts Association.
Related
Watch for free
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.