Dartmoor: The Shadowland (2025)
Written by Amanda Wood
Genre: Dark Thriller - novel
I’m excited (and a little nervous!) to announce that I’m in the very early stages of preparing to write my first novel, 'Dartmoor: The Shadowland'. This is a huge step for me, and it’s already shaping up to be the most challenging project I’ve ever taken on.
Right now, I’m diving into research, gathering facts, and planning my journey to explore the wild and rugged landscape of Dartmoor. I’ll be spending time away from home, immersing myself in the places that will bring the story to life. It’s going to test everything I’ve learned so far - my research skills, my creativity, and my determination - but I’m ready for the challenge!
This novel is a big adventure for me, and I can’t wait to share more as the process unfolds. Wish me luck!
The Witches of Waste (2022)
Written by Amanda Wood
Genre: Environmental education through immersive storytelling
Synopsis
In this thrilling interactive adventure, families are invited to embark on an unforgettable quest through an urban woodland overtaken by the mischievous Witches of Waste. Once eco-friendly guardians of nature, these witches have become obsessed with consumerism, filling the woodland with discarded junk and pollution as they search for new apprentices to continue their wasteful ways.
But hope is not lost! The wise Green Woodland Witch steps in, revealing the witches' downfall and enlisting children to help restore balance. Armed with a magical Book of Green Spells, families must navigate the enchanting woodland, encountering each Witch of Waste along the way. Through engaging, interactive activities, they’ll cast eco-friendly counter-spells to transform the witches back into their former Green selves.
As the adventure culminates in a vibrant celebration, families come together to reflect on their collective efforts to save the woodland and protect the planet. This imaginative experience can be recreated in any urban green space, making it the perfect opportunity to teach environmental awareness through fun storytelling and hands-on engagement.
The Transient: Song Collection (2020)
Written and Produced by Amanda Wood
Genre: Electro Folk Album of Original Songs
Synopsis:
The Transient, is a collection of songs that reflects my personal journey, capturing different chapters of my life and the people who have influenced those moments - some of whom are no longer with us. For this project, I collaborated with vocalist Stevie-Jay and pianists Mike Chio and Felix Suerbe, blending various genres such as EDM, Country, Ambient, and folk. This album showcases the work I have written, revisited, and produced as part of my final project for my Master's Degree in Songwriting at Bath Spa University.
Special thanks go out to Rob Tipping for his support throughout this process. Each track serves as a meaningful reflection, offering listeners a glimpse into my experiences and emotions.
London Weekend (2018)
Written by: Amanda Wood & Rachel David
Music & Lyrics by: Amanda Wood
Genre: Contemporary Musical Theatre
Synopsis:
Set in the summer of 2019, London Weekend follows Elise, a pregnant young woman mourning the recent loss of her mother, Amy. Alone and heartbroken, she stumbles upon an unopened letter from her mother, containing an unusual request: Elise must reunite her mother’s three closest school friends for a special birthday celebration.
As Elise tracks down the old friends - each hiding their own secrets - she uncovers long-buried truths, including a revelation about her own past that will change her life forever. With a surprise reunion concert in the works and old tensions resurfacing, this journey of grief, friendship, and self-discovery builds towards a night no one will forget.
London Weekend is a moving, humorous musical filled with heartfelt songs and unexpected twists, showing that sometimes, the family we need is the one we find.
Slack Water: The Stand of the Tide (2017)
Written by Amanda Wood
Genre: Psychological Thriller - short film treatment & script
Synopsis:
Dylan returns to his childhood home on the rugged Cornish coast to uncover the truth behind his mother’s mysterious disappearance and his father’s tragic death. Accompanied by his dog, Ki, what begins as a search for answers soon becomes a psychological nightmare as Dylan’s memories fragment and the line between reality and local legend blurs.
As he delves deeper into the eerie mythology of the cove, disturbing secrets about his family come to light, and Dylan’s mental state unravels. When Ki vanishes, Dylan is left to face the cove’s dark allure alone, leading him toward a chilling revelation about his parents’ fate. In the end, during a violent storm, Dylan must confront the truth in the place where it all began - deciding whether to succumb to the cove’s pull or find redemption.
Seascapes and Sandcastles (2014)
Written by Amanda Wood
Genre: Dark Comedy short film treatment
Synopsis:
In Seascapes and Sandcastles, lifelong friends Bea and Rosie are reluctantly spending another family holiday in a quaint Cornish village, feeling the weight of impending adulthood. At 16, they've outgrown the carefree days of building sandcastles and are instead grappling with restlessness and boredom. Everything shifts when they stumble upon a buried glass jar containing a faded letter and a rusty key, hinting at a long-lost secret tied to a woman named Eloise.
Intrigued, the girls embark on an impromptu investigation that takes them through the village and introduces them to its quirky residents - from a grumpy fisherman with wild stories to an eccentric shopkeeper and a nosy bingo matriarch - each holding pieces of the town’s mysterious past. As Bea and Rosie delve deeper into the mystery surrounding Eloise and her tragic love story with a reclusive hermit, they begin to confront the changes happening within themselves.
As they unravel the riddle of the key, bringing closure to the hermit's heart, Bea and Rosie must navigate the bittersweet transition from childhood innocence to the complexities of adulthood. With a mix of dark humor and heartfelt moments, Seascapes and Sandcastles explores themes of life, love, and loss against the backdrop of a captivating seaside mystery.
Of Blood and Water (2010)
Written and Directed by: Amanda Wood
Genre: Dramatic Feature Length Thriller
Screened: The Raindance Film Festival (2010) Prime Cuts (2011)
Synopsis:
In the summer of 1976, twelve-year-old Peter Falcon and his mother, Anna, escape the clutches of his abusive stepfather, Jerry, a corrupt police officer, fleeing to the quiet fishing village of Polderry Bay. Seeking refuge with his estranged Aunty May, Peter soon realizes that beneath the village’s calm exterior lies a web of dark secrets.
As Peter befriends a reclusive local and a quirky beachcomber, their discovery of a severed hand on the shore pulls them into a sinister mystery. Vivian Bagley, the powerful matriarch of the village, runs a dangerous drug-smuggling ring, and Peter’s fight to stay hidden becomes more perilous when Jerry tracks them down.
With the spirit of his deceased father guiding him, Peter must uncover the truth about the village’s past and his own family. As he prepares for a daring plan to expose Vivian and protect his mother, the stakes escalate, leading to a tense and emotional confrontation. In the aftermath, as Vivian’s empire crumbles and Jerry closes in, Peter’s final battle for freedom may just reveal the unexpected destiny waiting for him in Polderry Bay.
Three Prayers of Kitty Jay (2009)
Written by Amanda Wood
Directed by Patricia Bruen
Genre: Dark Folklore Drama - Short Film
Screened: The Raindance Film Festival (2009)
Synopsis:
In the shadowy depths of 18th-century Dartmoor, a young girl is called to work on a remote farm, freeing her from the bleak confines of a poor house where only her fragile faith kept the darkness at bay. Embracing her newfound freedom, she begins to blossom, unwittingly stepping into a dangerous dance with fate and revealing her vulnerability to the darkness lurking nearby. Loss and tragedy loom, twisting her story into a chilling legend that echoes through time - the legend of Kitty Jay. This film, crafted in partnership with The Dartmoor National Park Authority, delves into the dark corners of folklore, bringing to life the haunting tale that has captivated hearts for generations.