Originally the team had intended to film the story, which is set in the 19th century on a smallholding in rural Scotland and stars young Hamilton actor Lewis McGowan, along the west coast, successfully crowdfunding the £15,000 required to do so.
However, when researching locations, they learned of Orkney’s iconic Rackwick Bothy on Hoy and immediately knew they couldn’t shoot anywhere else.
To do so would require them to raise a further £5,000 – a figure which later increased to £8,000 when one of their original sponsors had to pull out at the eleventh hour due to unforeseen circumstances.
This latest Heart of the Community award brings the total number of grants that Scottish Sea Farms has given to Orkney causes to 50, amounting to a total investment of £200,336 in the eight years that the initiative has been up and running.
Amongst those rooting for the film to do well will be Orkney locals Eilidh Fisher and Rachael Batty. After reading about the production in the local newspaper, The Orcadian, they applied to work on the production, securing roles within the costume and art departments for a behind-the-scenes insight into some of the roles that exist in the film sector.
Further insights will be shared later this month with Gentle Giant Productions planning on returning to Orkney to talk to schools and community groups about the filming process.
To find out more about Scottish Sea Farms’ Heart of the Community initiative, click here or contact georgie.mackenzie@scottishseafarms.com.