"The film is an exploration and visual interpretation of the poem "Hallaig" by Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean. The poem originally written in Gaelic and translated describes the tragic loss and memories of a highland community on the Island of Raasay.
The film depicts symbols of life and time. That in Hallaig, there is something to protect. The woods become alive as women, love is presented as a hunter, and time an apparitional deer. The land of the living and the land of the dead become pervious to each other.
The aim of the film is to enlighten and enrich the words of the poem.
The aim of creating this film is to educate, inform and raise awareness of the social problems people endured during the period of the Highland Clearances. To research these events of social history in Scotland, in greater depth through the exploration, interpretation and investigation of the poem's use of symbolism and meaning to depict tragedy and loss.
The clearances were virtually ignored for many years this century by writers, historians and academics, partly out of a new struggle towards statehood in Scotland. Devolution and The new Parliament being a new centre of focus and attention.
However in recent years there has been a great revival in Gaelic culture and a renewed interest in Highland History. I believe that The poet Sorley MacLean, when writing "Hallaig" saw the poem as representing and exploring what could be seen as a microcosm for other problems and injustices in the world. For example: Ireland, Africa [Zimbabwe], Bosnia, and also the homeless of Edinburgh"
"The piobairereahd 'The Lament for Mary Macleod' is visualized in symbol, shape, movement and colour, as a memorial to the Journals of Dr K.A. MacKay and the music of Martyn Bennett.
The project will be storyboarded, edited, produced and directed in my Edinburgh Studio. Research and location footage will be filmed at various Highland locations and in a Studio setting, with post-production and mastering completed in Edinburgh.
On hearing of the premature death of my friend Martyn Bennett, the day before his final musical composition was recorded by the City of Edinburgh Music School, I was also told that the School pupils were unaware of his death until after they had recorded the music. As a result of this sad knowledge, but the successful recording, I was moved yet inspired to approach the Musical Director of the School, with the intention of creating a visual memorial and passionate, 'moving' lament to his musical talents.
Having viewed 'Hallaig', which he praised highly, he gave me permission to use the music, and supported my aim of creating another animated film with great interest and enthusiasm.
Martyn's final composition for pipes, clarsach and orchestra was written in honour of the late Dr K.A Mackay, and was initially performed at the 1999 opening of the Scottish Parliament. Entitled 'Mackay’s Memoirs', the musical composition is based around the theme and first variation of the piobaireach 'Lament For Mary MacLeod', and explores the possibilities of pipe music as a basis for contemporary music.
Mary MacLeod, born in 1569 was a Scottish-Gaelic poet, who could never read or write, but who's work is simple with natural rhythms, and incorporates many images of the bardic poets of Gaelic culture. I used the poetic symbols, and narrative of Sorley MacLean'spoem 'Hallaig' in my previous animated film, and again want to use poetry combined with Martyn Bennett's music to give rhythm, and variation to the sequences created in this new project. I believe the recording of 'McKay's Memoirs' creates the perfect audio basis for my film in terms of structure, rhythm, emotion, and instrumentation.
Kenneth Mackay was very knowledgeable concerning the Ceol Mor [big Music] or Piobaireachd. He had a brilliant mind for structure and form, and believed that the music of the pipes was charged with emotions of the landscape. The depiction of Landscape, both in terms of light, colour and texture, will again be a major theme in my film, as well as time, life and death, and memory.
Having already achieved international success with 'Hallaig', my intention of producing another experimental animated film, using poetry and music as a basis, can effect, through the fusing of three contemporary art forms, a much greater awareness of the richness and life of Gaelic music, history and geography."
