News Release
18th August 2016
IMAGES FROM PREVIOUS SHOWS FREE TO USE
Enchanted Forest reveals new creative talent behind shimmering new show
If you caught this year's Edinburgh Festival opening ceremony, you'll have got a taster of another of Scotland's favourite annual spectacles: The Enchanted Forest.
Perthshire's multi-award-winning sound and light show in the woods is set to shimmer this October with its most ambitious display to date. Among the creative talent is 59 Productions, the team behind the Standard Life Opening Event: Deep Time, which launched this year's Edinburgh International Festival. The spectacular public artwork saw Edinburgh Castle and Castle Rock transformed into a vast canvas for digitally animated projections inspired by the city's past and set to a specially compiled soundtrack by rock band Mogwai.
Now in its 15th year, The Enchanted Forest sound and light show at Faskally Wood, Pitlochry prides itself on raising the creative bar with a changing theme each year. While the details of this year's show, SHIMMER, are still under wraps, visitors can expect a host of new creative talent and shimmering displays including a larger-than-life character and a walk-through ‘wall' of light.
59 Productions, one of the UK's leading digital animation companies, has opened the last two Edinburgh Festivals. Other credits include the War Horse musical and the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. 59 Productions is working on a projection which, promises creative director Leo Warner, will stay close to the theme of an enchanted wood. For Leo it's a welcome return to the Pitlochry area. 59 Productions' very first video installation featured at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in 2003.
Vision Mechanics, a Leith-based design agency with clients that include National Museum of Scotland and Scottish Opera, is behind one of the larger-than-life characters that will appear at this year's show, designed by creative director Kim Bergsagel. "We build big stuff and we try and make interactivity an element so people can get involved," said Symon Macintyre of Vision Mechanics. One of Vision Mechanics' most recent art projects, Drift, was installed on beaches in Norway and recreated the feelings of being adrift and alone at sea, inspired by the true story of Betty Mouat, a Shetland crofter who was cast adrift in the North Sea for eight days.
Also involved in this year's Enchanted Forest are digital artists Squidsoup, who are building an immersive, walk-through light installation that builds on previous works they have exhibited around the world. "My background is in digital media but I've always been frustrated by the screen and the fact that you can't go in there and touch anything," explained Anthony Rowe, founder and creative director of Squidsoup.
This year's Enchanted Forest event, which runs from Thursday 29th September to Friday 30th October, is led by the multi-award-winning creative team of Derek Allan as producer and creative director, Kate Bonney and Simon Hayes as lighting designers, and RJ McConnell and Jon Beales providing sound design and composition. Last year the show attracted a record 62,000 visitors and smashed box office records. This year, more than 65,000 tickets went on sale. Organisers The Enchanted Forest Community Trust are advising customers to book early to avoid disappointment.
The event, which extended its season due to popular demand, brings in an estimated £2 million to the local economy. It was recently shortlisted in two categories of the Scottish Event Awards, and beat off stiff competition from Scotland's top tourism businesses to win the coveted Scottish Rural Award for Tourism & Hospitality 2016.
Ian Sim, acting chairman of The Enchanted Forest, said:
"The exciting, and challenging, thing about The Enchanted Forest is that it changes theme each year. We're particularly proud of the creativity that is going into the SHIMMER show. We think this will definitely light up the woods and we encourage both locals and tourists to make the trip to The Enchanted Forest to witness the magic for themselves."
For more information and to book tickets visit www.enchantedforest.org.uk.
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For further information contact Gillian Drummond on 01738 700138 or mobile 07490 259009
NOTES TO EDITORS
IMAGES: Free-to-use imagery of the previous shows available here https://www.dropbox.com/s/wjzayvqe5kxpybq/FREE%20TO%20USE%20-%20Hi%20Resolution.zip?dl=0
More available on request by email at g.drummond@volpa.co.uk
The Enchanted Forest
Founded: 2002
Location: Forestry Commission Scotland's Faskally Wood near Pitlochry.
Ownership & Management: Enchanted Forest Community Trust- a Registered Scottish Charity
Visitors:Over 62,500 visitors attend annually - up to 65,000 can attend in 2016
Producer and Creative Director:Derek Allan, Director of Allan Associates
Lighting Designers: Kate Bonney and Simon Hayes
Sound Design & Composition: RJ McConnell and Jon Beales
Event Awards & Nominations:
2016:
WINNER, Scottish Rural Award for Tourism & Hospitality.
2015:
WINNER, Best Event, 2015 Scottish Thistle Awards
2014:
WINNER, Best Cultural Event, 2014 Scottish Event Awards
WINNER, Best Marketing Campaign, 2014 Scottish Event Awards
2013:
WINNER, Best Cultural Event, 2013 Scottish Event Awards
WINNER, Cultural Event of the Year Award (Regional), Scottish Thistle Awards
2012:
WINNER, VisitBritain Marketing Campaign of the Year Award (Regional), Scottish Thistle Awards
FINALIST, VisitBritain Marketing Campaign of the Year Award (Regional), Scottish Thistle Awards
Commendation, Best Marketing Campaign, 2012 Scottish Event Awards
Older:
WINNER, Event Management Grand Prix, 2011 Scottish Event Awards
WINNER, Best Cultural Event, 2011 Scottish Event Awards
Commendation, Best Large Event, 2011 Scottish Event Awards
WINNER, Event of the Year, Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards
WINNER, Community Award, Perthshire Big Tree Country Awards
Commendation, Best Marketing Strategy, 2010 Scottish Event Awards
Finalist, Best Marketing Strategy, 2010 UK Event Awards
WINNER, Best Marketing Strategy, 2009 Scottish Event Awards
Commendation, Best Large Event, 2009 Scottish Event Awards
Commendation, Best Cultural Event, 2009 Scottish Event Awards
Finalist, Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Hospitality Star Award 2009
Finalist, Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Marketing Star Award 2009
Key Facts about Faskally Wood
Faskally was purchased by the Forestry Commission in 1953. It covers 365 hectares and is divided in two by the old and new A9. The area where the Enchanted Forest takes place is approximately 66 hectares in size.
The forest contains 25 recorded species of tree, of which only a handful are native: Scots Pine, Silver and Downy Birch, Ash, Oak, Rowan, Common Alder, Hazel, and Bird Cherry. The oldest known tree is approximately 200-225 years old.
Faskally is derived from the Gaelic for "stance by the ferry" which probably relates to an old ferry crossing on the river Tummel.
The forest attracts approximately 60,000 visitors a year, excluding those to the Enchanted Forest.