A year in the life of the Galloway and South Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere
When the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere set out to inspire people about conservation, climate awareness and sustainable development, they turned to Lilac Howell. The ambition was bold: to create a film in the style of Frozen Planet that captured the beauty and global importance of Merrick Kells, a core area of the Biosphere.
This was never going to be a straightforward shoot. Galloway Forest Park stretches over 774km² and is home to sensitive habitats and rare species. Delivering the vision meant gaining the confidence of the Forestry Commission, the RSPB, the Golden Eagle Reintroduction Project and NatureScot. Lilac Howell brought all these stakeholders together into a working group, securing buy-in by clearly presenting our creative proposals, environmental safeguards and filming methodology.
“Lilac Howell shared our passion from the start and quickly grasped its potential. Their energy, creativity and flawless logistics made this complex project feel effortless."
— Ed Forrest, Director of the Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere
From the outset, we knew storytelling had to be matched by technical innovation. We deployed state-of-the-art drone and time-lapse techniques to reveal seasonal change and capture awe-inspiring night skies. One time-lapse camera ran for four months, taking a picture every 15 minutes to chart the landscape’s transformation. Another tracked the stars over an eight-hour movement. Extreme weather, remoteness and security posed constant challenges, but our solutions, including remote monitoring and training local rangers in equipment care, kept the project on track.
The result was a film that not only educated and inspired, but gave audiences a profound ‘sense of place.’ It celebrated biodiversity, showcased international significance, and built pride within local communities.
Ed Forrest, director of the Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere added “Lilac Howell shared our passion for this project from the start and quickly grasped its potential to share critical messaging about nature recovery. As project managers Anthony Howell and Steve Cranston have worked closely with the Biosphere team and our multi-sector partners, including government agencies and charitable bodies, maintaining excellent communications throughout.
Their energy and creativity are ably expressed both in person and working remotely and as well as the high quality of footage and production we have been particularly impressed by how efficiently planning and logistics were approached, in a project that embodied the challenges of working outdoors, year-round, in wild land areas.
Lilac Howell guided our staff as novice writers so that this important project always felt to be entirely in our hands, and through this client-centred collaborative style have captured an essential part of the Biosphere story in a way that will speak to new audiences for years to come.”
The film went on to be showcased in cinemas, internationally through the wider UNESCO Biosphere network and was even reported on by the BBC.
