Capturing the Beauty of Sherwood Forest: My Experience Filming for the 'Save Our Wild Isles' Campaign
Cel Spellman and Kedar Williams-Stirling in Sherwood Forest
Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a Director of Photography on a project for the 'Save Our Wild Isles' campaign. This video production focused on wildlife conservation, and the project took us to the heart of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, to uncover the secrets of the Ancient Oaks.
Our mission was to create a captivating video that would complement the larger 'Wild Isles' TV series narrated by Sir David Attenborough. This nature documentary series celebrates the wonders of the islands of Britain and Ireland, showcasing some of the most dramatic habitats on the British Isles, including woodland, grassland, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems.
Working with talented actors Cel Spellman and Kedar Williams-Stirling was an absolute pleasure. Their genuine interest in the subject matter and camaraderie on set made the remote filming process seamless and enjoyable. We captured their authentic reactions as they immersed themselves in the beauty of Sherwood Forest.
To document the stunning natural environment, I was tasked with building a lightweight gimbal rig that I would be comfortable filming with all day. For this, I used a combination of the DJI Ronin RS3 and Canon C300 MKIII. A large portion of the filming involved walking and talking to camera along with long takes and smooth movements. The auto focus on the C300 MKIII was a life saver and paired with some lightweight batteries made the payload very comfortable.
This setup allowed me to capture long takes and smooth movements, emphasising the breathtaking scenery and vibrant autumnal colours of Sherwood Forest.
Lightweight Canon C300 MKIII setup with DJI Ronin RS3
One of my key takeaways from this video production was the importance of thorough planning when working with celebrities and filming outdoors with little or no access to civilisation. Ensuring that everyone on set is comfortable, well-fed, and focused on the task at hand is crucial for a successful shoot. I put the success of the shoot down to Catherine Rose’s careful planning and producing, without her input we would certainly not have had such a pleasant days filming.
As a long-time admirer of Sir David Attenborough's work, I was thrilled to contribute, even in a small way, to the 'Wild Isles' nature documentary series. I have enjoyed filming all over the world, but I always come back to our countryside here in the UK and realise how lucky we are. This experience reinforced my appreciation for the incredible natural habitats and landscapes we have right here in the UK.
Cel Spellman and Kedar Williams-Stirling during Forest Bathing session
Our hope is that viewers of both the campaign video and the 'Wild Isles' series will recognise the importance of preserving our planet's delicate ecosystems for future generations.
Although there are no concrete plans yet, I'm looking forward to potential future projects related to 'Save Our Wild Isles' and continuing my journey as a London-based videographer dedicated to capturing the beauty and importance of nature through documentary filmmaking and branded content production.
You can watch the finished film below:
