Midlands Review of The Winster Werewolf
The Winster Werewolf
Directed by Jake Mayo
2025
Amberwell Productions
*some SPOLIERS ahead*
On the 4th of December 2025, as the cold moon rose, evil spirits and terrifying creatures lingered in the darkness.
In rural Derbyshire, the full moon welcomed in the premiere of The Winster Werewolf – Amberwell Productions' new short, the fourth in their six-part ‘creature anthology’.
And in the Whitworth’s grand Victorian ballroom in Darley Dale, a well-attended audience had settled down to embrace whatever frights and thrills would await them!
Although it stands alone from the other films in the anthology, The Winster Werewolf follows what seems to be a consistent formula. John (Steve Williams) is a YouTuber who is looking for various creatures around Derbyshire, followed by his eager and sardonic assistant, ‘Cameraman’ (Raymond Lesley).
Directed by Jake Mayo and written by James Ledger, this film has a unique and carefully managed self-awareness. From the very first scene, Cameraman exhibits this style of humour - which is throughout the script. For example, when asked by John if he believed there was a werewolf in Winster, he stated “well, it’s an alliteration, so it must mean something is true”.
John and Cameraman then go into Winster, a quaint village in Derbyshire, where they recount the ancient legend of Harold Hand, a man who was found naked and asleep in the local Winster church after a full moon. Fearful of execution, Hand escaped with angry villagers in hot pursuit.
Filmed in Winster itself, Mayo’s camerawork and editing is impressively displayed. Utilising a multi-media format, the camera distinguishes between Cameraman’s shots and external shots by cleverly changing the aspect ratio.
Mayo also incorporates whip pans to implement his meta narrative, wherein John is noticing himself in the distance, also filming in Winster. Although there is no clear explanation for this part, it could be suggested that the anthology has merit to being watched altogether.
By the end, John and Cameraman run out of fuel and encounter the werewolf in their attempts to get home. The werewolf itself (Lyla Stevenson-Rowe) is a hooded figure, who approaches the camera in a jittery fashion before the screen flashes red and we cut to credits.
At this point, the meta-narrative might explain more about the ending. Had John and Camerman entered a parallel universe where the werewolf would always kill them? Did the werewolf put some sort of curse on them? There were many questions left unanswered as the credits rolled.
Jake Mayo, James Ledger and Edmund Hunt (of Amberwell Pictures) are clearly committed to their ambitious six-part project. Future titles include “The Beast of Riber Castle” and “Revelation of the Peak”, the former being a zombie film which will premiere April 2026.
With a bigger budget and a slightly snappier script, there is no doubt that Mayo, Ledger, and the rest of the team will enjoy continued success. Their mission to expose the terrifying creatures of Derbyshire is well underway – and who knows where the future will take them!
★★½
2.5 / 5
Jacob Poole
Instagram @shot_by_gretton
