Shackle

Stop-motion filmmaking often conjures images of animators working in dark studios, meticulously moving hand-crafted characters millimetre by millimetre. However, for his latest short Shackle, S/W regular Ainslie Henderson (I Am Tom Moody, Monkey Love Experiments, Stems) broke tradition by taking his production outdoors. A story of woodland spirits in their natural habitat, the film captures the vibrant energy of its surroundings, amplifying the magical essence of stop-motion in a uniquely original way.

The film opens with shots of nature in all its glory – a flower blooms and an apple grows – before a felt hand enters to pluck the fruit from the tree. It’s a simple exposition, but one that works perfectly to introduce the film’s themes and tactile aesthetic. From this point, we’re introduced to the three characters of Shackle: two white, fluffy spirits and a darker, gaunt figure. What follows is a timeless battle between light and dark. 

One of the three central characters in Ainslie Henderson’s Shackle.

With a string of successful stop-motion shorts behind him, Shackle marks Henderson’s bold push to challenge both his own craft and the medium itself. Typically confined to controlled studio environments – where factors like light, temperature, and weather are meticulously managed – taking this film outdoors meant embracing unpredictability and leaving some aspects to chance. What could have ended in disaster instead stands as a testament to his ambition and daring vision.

Following Henderson’s journey to create Shackle through his Instagram updates, it’s clear the production came with its challenges – he described night shoots as both “lonely” and “beautiful”, while also capturing the challenges of shooting in snow. Yet, the resulting aesthetic surpasses anything he would have created in a studio. The shifting light of the forest adds a magical quality to the on-screen world, while the puppets’ interactions with natural elements immerse the audience, making it easy to suspend disbelief throughout the 10-minute short.

This immersion is also vital in drawing you into the struggles of all three characters, a key factor in the film’s success. Speaking of success, Shackle won Best British Film at the 2022 London International Animation Festival and earned a Scottish BAFTA nomination in 2023. The short also marks another collaboration between Henderson and longtime partner Will Anderson (The Making of Longbird, Monkey Love Experiments, Have Heart, Betty), who produced the film. Together, they also released their debut feature, A Cat Called Dom, in 2022.