# animate! › Films › Soho Square by Mario Cavalli › all › synopses › direction & collaboration › full production credits › film stills › tools & processes › format & distribution › background material

Canonical: https://animate.org.uk/films/sohosquare/all

Discovery terms: 1990s animation, manipulated live action, digital compositing, london, urban life, public space, experimental short film, filmmaker, animation director

The following is the archived page text; discovery terms above are separately sourced metadata.

Archive status: restored in 2026; historical calls, deadlines and services are closed.

---

**Soho Square** a film by Mario Cavalli

[Mario Cavalli](https://mario-cavalli-images-prints.com)

1992, 11 min

[Film / embedded media](https://www.youtube.com/embed/ygug-kKKcVM)

![Soho Square, still](https://animate.org.uk/stillslarge/sohosquare02.jpg)

### animate! synopsis

Hot time, summer in the city… A hued thought in a green shade – the life of a square from flesh to ‘paint’ via video. 24 hours of light.

### long synopsis

**Soho Square** uses a painterly approach to colour and composition to evoke the atmosphere, sights and sounds of the London Square on a typical summer’s day.

The square is an oasis and a refuge for many people whose paths would not normally cross.

The wealthy and the destitute, the esoteric and the mundane: office workers, winos, tourists, police, students of Tai Chi and of Hari Krishna, gardeners and lovers.

**Soho Square** interweaves these characters, whose stories occupy the same space, but different worlds.

### key credits

**director**
Mario Cavalli

**lighting camera**
Tony Dow

**art director or production designer**
Ashley Potter

**editor**
Richard Harris

**music**
Nick Franglen

**producer**
Pam Dennis
Sue Paxton

### Mario Cavalli

#### artist’s website

[Colony Media](http://www.colonymedia.co.uk/)

Mario’s production company

### a film by Mario Cavalli

### direction

**director**
Mario Cavalli

### cast in picture

**performers**
Richard Blanco
Fiona Graham
Daniel Taylor-Woodrow
Jane Edwards
David Shields
Karen Chantale
Kate Shannon
Angela Chambers
Andy Johnson
Trevor Waldron

### live-action personnel

**lighting camera**
Tony Dow

### image personnel

**art director or production designer**
Ashley Potter

**editor**
Richard Harris

### sound personnel

**music**
Nick Franglen

### production personnel

**post production**
Owen Hurley

**producer**
Pam Dennis
Sue Paxton

### support

**additional financial support**
The Mill

© Mario Cavalli 1992

[![Soho Square, still](https://animate.org.uk/stillslarge/sohosquare01.jpg)](https://animate.org.uk/stillsfull/sohosquare01.jpg)

*click on image for full size still*

[![Soho Square, still](https://animate.org.uk/stillslarge/sohosquare02.jpg)](https://animate.org.uk/stillsfull/sohosquare02.jpg)

*click on image for full size still*

### technical

#### process summary

All the scenes depicted are based on real characters and events recorded on Hi-8 video.

This material was then edited and recreated in the studio with dancers and mime artists, then re-coloured, re-timed, and composited on video with various artwork elements, to create the impression of events unfolding over a single day.

### master copy format

**colour or black & white**
colour

### video distribution format

**video format**
BetaSP

**screen aspect ratio**
4:3

**video standard**
PAL

**sound type**

### distributor

LUX
[info@lux.org.uk](mailto:info@lux.org.uk)
+44 (0)20 7503 3980
[www.lux.org.uk](http://www.lux.org.uk/)

**Soho Square** film, stills and other materials © Mario Cavalli 1992