Ghost in the Library: a short film

Aim: Help a small group of indie film-makers resurrect a ghostly tale: Arthur Conan Doyle investigates a haunting in historic Leeds library.

Ghost in the Library is a supernatural mystery film. We are raising £2000 to cover the production costs including location fees, costumes and props - and offer rewards of behind-the-scenes access, premier tickets and signed posters.

Inspired by real people and events, the film melds famous characters and historic reports into a tightly crafted short film.

If you love ghost stories, eerie atmospheres, and supporting local creatives, we want you to join us on this journey. Back us and together we will breathe new life into an old ghost…

The ultimate in dark academia: The Old Office, interior of the Leeds Library. Image © The Leeds Library

Plot summary (no spoilers!)

In 1884, the Head Librarian John MacAlister saw something terrifying while working late one night at The Leeds Library. He described a pale, hairless figure with sunken eyes who passed through a bookcase into a closed room before disappearing.

According to contemporaries, this ghostly figure resembled MacAlister’s predecessor Vincent Sternberg. This chilling story was suppressed and anonymised to protect reputations.

Forty years later, enter Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, renowned creator of Sherlock Holmes, dogged investigator of unexplained events, and a passionate Spiritualist. Arthur heads north in pursuit. Could Arthur be the one to prove the truth about the Ghost in the Library?

The true story behind the film

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle                Sir John MacAlister

Arthur Doyle and John MacAlister were contemporaries at Edinburgh’s famous medical school. In later life, they shared interests in literature and medicine. Both acted as advisors to the WW1 War Cabinet on First Aid in the field, and both were members of London’s Savage Club. Doyle was a passionate believer in life after death. There is no substantive evidence that these two gentlemen met in these circumstances depicted, but our film ponders the possibility that they did…

Budget and funding

We aim to raise £2,000 to make Ghost in the Library.

Any extra funds raised will be used to boost production quality, and contribute to costs for screening and promoting the film.

Our team of local filmmakers are all donating their talents, time and equipment. Your support will help to cover unavoidable expenses:

• Location fees  
• Insurance 
• Authentic costumes and make-up 
• Contemporary Props
• Special effects 
• Post-production
• Original score

Rewards

• All our helpful spirits will receive our heartfelt thanks and their name in the end credits of the film.
• Pledges of £20+ will get a glimpse through the veil: access to a behind-the-scenes video of the production. 
• Pledges of £30+ will also receive a seat at the séance: an invitation to the premier and Q&A with cast and crew. This will be streamed through the ether to all corners of the earth.
• Pledges of £50+ will also be awarded with the writing on the wall: a limited edition poster signed by the actors and director.
• Our guardian angels who pledge £100+ will also be credited as Executive Producer, and receive a signed copy of the Ghost in the Library script.

Timeline

• Pre-production – in progress. The script is complete, and casting and production planning is underway.
• Filming – Autumn and Winter 2025
• Post-production – Winter and Spring 2025
• Premiere and distribution – Summer 2026 

Selected Cast

Leeds storyteller Matthew Bellwood will portray John MacAlister. Matthew’s walking tours of Ghostly Leeds starting from The Leeds Library inspired our writers. We are honoured he will help us commit this tale to film.

Actor Julia Rayner (whose numerous credits include The Pianist and Topsy Turvy) will play the key role of Jean Conan Doyle, Arthur’s second wife and spiritualist medium. See Julia's showreel here.

We will open auditions for our other actors once the Crowdfunder is successful.

Setting and locations

The Leeds Library is a Georgian institution in the city centre still thriving as a subscription library patronised by bibliophiles and scholars, but open to everyone. Its high ceilings, dark corridors, and towering bookshelves naturally evoke mystery.

The Leeds Library interior: Wikipedia Commons.

We will use local Yorkshire locations to represent the interior of Doyle’s home, Windlesham Manor at Crowborough in East Sussex.

Costumes and props

There are six characters in the film, and two time periods set forty years apart.

We will be making and hiring period costumes locally from companies in Manchester and Leeds, helping the actors authentically inhabit historic characters. Contemporary props include a lantern, a Gladstone bag, fountain pen, journal, spirit flask and a pistol.

The Filmmakers

Oakwood Film Academy (est. 2019) is a community filmmaking group in Leeds, Yorkshire. It is connected to the Oakwood Cinema which was established in 2015 to screen international films for local people. Our participating mentors include professional film-makers, scriptwriter, director, editors and media educators, who inspire high standards, help us push projects forward and trouble-shoot problems.

We share a passion for cinematic storytelling and have already made several low-budget films that have been screened at Oakwood Cinema and beyond. With Ghost in the Library, we are combining our collective experience with more ambitious production values and a compelling script, filmed on location here in Leeds. Our production team includes local writers, actors, film crew and a historic costume expert. They are all donating their time and expertise because they believe that together, we can conjure this mystery into being.

Here are some of our previous film projects:

It’s in your gift

We believe in the power of telling stories rooted in real history, people and places, and thrilling tales that make you look at familiar people and places in new ways. 

Ghost in the Library is a passion project rooted in our local history and crafted with care by a dedicated team who simply love making magic together.

Thank you for your support.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 4th August 2025 at 8:08pm