This film is part of Free
Xeroscopy
If you were electrocuted by a photocopier in the 70s and your life flashed before you, it might look a little something like this…
Overview
Like being struck by lightning whilst standing at the photocopier, this experimental short short certainly gets your hair standing on end. The xerography process had been introduced into animation in the early 60s to eliminate the need to hand trace paper drawings to clear cels – for example Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). Here it is used in a much more experimental fashion as one of a series of super short art films made at Halas & Batchelor under the group title “Condition of Man”.
Related
13 Cantos of Hell 13 Cantos of Hell
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1955 20 mins
Follow Dante through Hell in this progressive silhouette animation with a musique concrète soundtrack by talented sculptor Peter King
Green Men, Yellow Woman Green Men, Yellow Woman
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1973 4 mins
Even Clark Gable doesn’t live up to his image in this off-beat cartoon about a woman fed up with the attentions of little green men
Animated Genesis Animated Genesis
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1952 22 mins
Arachnophobes beware! This colourful allegorical abstraction of life from creation to near destruction casts greed as a giant spider
Damon the Mower Damon the Mower
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1972 4 mins
A stripped back animated masterpiece from the director of Yellow Submarine (1968), based on an poem by Andrew Marvell
Boolean Procedure Boolean Procedure
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1980 23 mins
Innovative short that is equal parts Beckett, Gilliam, Orwell and life advice for the recently redundant. Yes, really.
Two Faces Two Faces
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1968 4 mins
An abstract poetic tale that tells both one and a thousand stories of love and loss, by a designer on The Beatles Yellow Submarine film
New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.
New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.
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.
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.
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.