TEARS OF A CLOWN: Craze is no laughing matter for Clowne film-makers

A '˜killer clown' from Clowne is pulling his bright red hair out after his hobby was highjacked by a new craze.
A still from Adam's first killer clown movie, 'Klown'.A still from Adam's first killer clown movie, 'Klown'.
A still from Adam's first killer clown movie, 'Klown'.

Chris Carter, 39, has been starring in a series of films made by his friend Adam Widdowson for the last five years.

But now - as the ‘killer clown’ craze sweeps the country - the friends have found they can’t go filming without informing the authorities.

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Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.
Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.

Amateur film-maker Adam, 27, said: “We’ve been doing this for a long time before the current spate of clown activity started.

“Now, when we go filming in the village we have to let people know so we don’t get arrested.

“It has been making our lives much more difficult.”

Adam said that far from scaring people, when the group have been out filming in the past people seemed to have enjoyed seeing them and have even asked for photos.

Adam says Chris is 'brilliant' in the role and 'really gets into it'.Adam says Chris is 'brilliant' in the role and 'really gets into it'.
Adam says Chris is 'brilliant' in the role and 'really gets into it'.

“When we started we didn’t know what to do so we thought because we live in Clowne why don’t have a scary clown,” said Adam.

“We only do it for a bit of fun but Chris is brilliant - he really gets into it and none of the rest of them are actors but they are really good as well.”

Adam does all the filming and editing in his spare time from his job as a receptionist at Mercedes parts and servicing specialist, Damas.

He is in the process of making the fourth film in the series and hopes one day to see it projected on a big screen in Chesterfield.

Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.
Director Adam Widdowson and Clowne's original killer clown, Chris Carter.

The former Chesterfield College student - who won a South Yorkshire film competition in 2012 for his scary movies - says he thinks that the current craze for ‘killer clowns’ can be put down to their ‘unnatural’ looks and ‘creepy, old-fashioned’ vibe.

The trailer for Adam’s latest film - Klown III: Malevolence of Mime - can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnIOGBJ_Gr8.