Footpads

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Footpads

| image = Footpads.jpg

| caption = Screenshot from the film

| director = Robert W. Paul

| producer = Robert W. Paul

| writer =

| narrator =

| starring =

| music =

| cinematography = Birt Acres

| editing =

| studio = Paul's Animatograph Works

| distributor =

| released = {{film date|df=yes|1895|5|}}

| runtime = 24 secs

| country = United Kingdom

| language = Silent

| budget =

}}

Footpads is a 1895 British short silent drama film that was directed by Robert W. Paul. It features a top-hatted pedestrian against a rainy London backdrop, who is assaulted by three footpads and rescued by a passing policeman.

The "atmospheric" film, "is chiefly of interest for its imaginative approach to background décor," where, according to Michael Brooke of BFI Screenonline, "some effort has been made towards establishing a sense of realism."{{cite web |title=Footpads |first=Michael |last=Brooke |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/790642/index.html |work=BFI Screenonline |accessdate=2011-04-24 }}

Roland-François' Lack of University College London points out that this painted backdrop looks like,

"a hybrid of Trafalgar Square, with its electric advertisement for Bovril, and Piccadilly Circus, with the advertisement for Mellin's Food"

but has discovered that it in fact represents Ludgate Circus.{{cite web |title=Robert Paul in London |first=Roland-François |last=Lack |url=http://www.thecinetourist.net/robert-paul-in-london-tour-guide-and-film-maker.html |work=The Cine-Tourist |accessdate=2012-12-21 }}