"Sullivan's Wild" by Andrew O'Donnell

A poetic look at the Scottish wild.

Commended Eden Shorts 2015

In putting together Sullivan's Wild, Andrew O'Donnell set out "to capture some of the feelings one might have when exploring nature," a sentiment Eden Shorts judge Michaela Strachan shared:

Sullivan's Wild makes you want to get out into nature!

Michaela Strachan thought Sullivan's Wild was a very thoughtful and pensive piece.

Michaela Strachan thought Sullivan's Wild was a very thoughtful and pensive piece.

Having been shortlisted last year for his film Red Squirrels, Andrew kept to familiar subjects like waterfalls, wild swimming and common animal species, in order to make sure that he delivered "the sort of encounters most of us have, the kind that keep us ticking over."

Judge Nigel Marven was blown away by the intelligent use of shots and style in showing the relationship between us and nature:

Sullivan's Wild was very clever photographically. The tracking shots are super and I think even I could learn from that about how presenters could be filmed. The close up of the eye and some of those techniques are really excellent.

Andrew remarked that the filming process went fairly smoothly, although he did have one issue with appropriate kit... "The star of the film forgot his wellies on the day we we filming the waterfall shot. So I had to cross first and throw my wellies back to to him in order for him to cross. Not exactly the sort of tale you would here from the Natural History Unit, but it was touch and go for a moment."

And why Sullivan's Wild? "The presenters name is Sullivan. We wanted the film to be one person's vision of the outdoors. Everyone has their own little corners of the country that feel like home more than others... Plus we though it sounded pretty snappy!"