Video: Young film-maker shows off Scotland’s winter beauty

Sullivan's Winter will highlight Scotland's dramatic landscapes during winter

Sullivan’s Winter, directed by wildlife cameraman Andrew O’Donnell, will “explore Scotland in its most dramatic season”.

A three-minute trailer posted on YouTube has attracted positive reviews and the rookie director has now launched a fundraising campaign to source the estimated £4,500 required to bring the project to completion.

The film is intended to showcase the beauty of Scotland’s outdoors and will not be a standard documentary.

It stars Sullivan, a fictional journalist for an outdoors magazine, played by Blane Abercrombie.

“We basically want to show off Scotland in the same way Lord of the Rings explored New Zealand,” said O’Donnell, 24, from Lennoxtown in East Dumbartonshire.

“The story is inspired by my day job: going to far-flung corners of the country and exploring. Winter is a very magical time, and Sullivan allows us to highlight that in an interesting way that will appeal children as well as adults.

“We want Sullivan’s Winter to be one of those films that you can stick on around November and get excited about the cold and crisp days ahead.

Andrew O'Donnell (right) is directing the film, which stars Blane Abercrombie (left)

“There is a certain atmosphere to a Scottish Winter which is difficult to explain.

“The presenter is fictional, but the backbone of the film is nature and adventure. We’re not trying to be David Attenborough. Some nature documentaries can be very boring, we want this to be exciting.”

The film will cover subjects such as winter sports as well as wildlife and is aimed at a general audience rather than traditional outdoors enthusiasts.

O’Donnell, who worked as a chef before committing himself to filmmaking full time last year, is largely self-trained but has received advice from several industry veterans.

“We have a drone operator and a few other experts who will be helping out with the wildlife filming,” he added.

The film will follow Sullivan as he travels through Scotland using various forms of transport including canoes, kayaks and cross-country skis.

“In terms of tourism, things almost come to a stop in Winter. Scottish tourism can be a very seasonal affair,” continued O’Donnell.

“In rural areas some hotels close, many outdoor activities stop running, restaurants and cafés close early or don’t open at all. It’s a shame because there’s so many amazing experiences and things to see. The ski season is always there to inject a little bit of life back into tourism, but there’s a lot more to a Scottish winter than that.

“We hope this film will encourage people into the rural areas out of season.”

For more information, visit the Sullivan’s Winter Kickstarter page.