Video: Timelapse film of Falkirk Helix project

The Helix project in its initial stages, as captured by filmmaker Walid Salhab

Salhab, media practice lecturer at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, has now been engaged by The Helix, a land transformation project driven by Falkirk Council and Scottish Canals which is turning 350 hectares of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth into a vibrant new parkland with visitor attractions.

Walid has been contracted to produce a time lapse/stop motion film of the Helix project as it moves toward completion. His main focus will be the 75-day construction phase of The Kelpies, two 30-metre high steel-plated sculptures of horses’ heads, weighing over 600 tonnes, which will tower above the Forth & Clyde canal and form a dramatic gateway at the eastern entrance to Helix Park.

Salhab explained: “The construction of the Kelpies is a four month project and we are now three weeks into the build. This stop motion/time lapse preview shows the beginning of the construction stages on what will be the 30metre high steel Kelpies. This 20 second clip is shot over three days using three different styles of time lapse techniques :

“Every day of filming results in approximately 2000 photos which are put together to create the illusion of motion. It’s a 24 hour process – the photos captured during the day must be processed and edited by the end of that day. This allows you to pick up any problems. You only get one shot, as the build continues to move forward.”