Project Author: Hakura
June 24, 2025
ABOUT
Highland Retreats
A cinematic celebration of the Scottish Highlands, created for the Highland Retreats project, has captured the online world’s imagination, amassing over 50,000 views and securing a feature in The Times. The project was a deeply inspiring collaboration, born from a desire to showcase the raw beauty and talent of the region.
The production team, led by Ohwa, embarked on a mission to find a local voice to narrate the film. Their search led them to the gifted local artist and writer, Tony Bonning. In a moment of pure creative synergy, Bonning’s evocative poem was recorded in a single take from a production vehicle, with the iconic Eilean Donan Castle providing a breathtaking backdrop.
To capture the majestic landscapes of the Highlands, the team employed a dynamic combination of static cameras, gimbal work, and drone cinematography. Their journey took them across the rugged terrain of the mainland and over to the enchanting Isle of Skye, where they filmed the area’s stunning waterfalls in all their natural glory.
This meticulously crafted film has not only resonated with a vast online audience but has also played a pivotal role in the growth of the Highland Retreats project. The significant online engagement and the subsequent high-profile article in The Times, titled “Capturing the Highlands with a former war correspondent,” have shone a spotlight on the unique allure of this Scottish sanctuary.
The film serves as a powerful testament to the captivating beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the profound impact of collaborating with local artists to tell the stories of a place. The project’s success underscores the power of compelling visual storytelling in the digital age