As I’m sat at my desk and tapping these words on my keyboard, the rain is bouncing off my window and the tall trees in next door’s garden are swaying back and forth. It feels so far away from the calm salt waters and sparkling light of Tiree.
I’ve just come back from a week on this magical Scottish island and I just want to hold onto the sunshine, the surf and the stillness for a little while longer. I don’t want the glow to fade just yet.
I’ll be sharing about my time on the Screen Argyll Film Development Lab in my Monthly Brew newsletter. Come and join me here - I’ll be sending it out soon. For now, I wanted to share the light, from the ferry crossing over there, to the fading sun of the last night.
As an anxious traveller (unless I’m driving myself and I’m not sure CalMac ferries are ready for that!), the crossing to Tiree was just beautiful. We headed towards the light.
It was good to meet a few of my fellow Film Lab participants on the journey over there and when we’d checked into the Millhouse where we’d be staying, we took a trip down to the beach. There we watched the sun set and the moon rise. The local swimmers toook a dip as a cloud of smoke drifted towards the horizon from a nearby bonfire. I felt my feet sink into the sand, and a lightening begin.
We had lucked out on the weather. At first light the next morning, I grabbed my camera and took a stroll down the lane. The gentle breeze in the tall grasses like polite applause.
During a break in our Lab Day, I took my tea down to the beach.
Making the most of the elements, we took barefoot strolls and talked on the stretches of wet sand. These moments felt incredibly special. There’s something about movement and hearing your voice speaking the words out loud that have been swirling around your head for such a long time. It felt good to get them out.
As we headed into the weekend and travelled to and from venues for the Sea Change Film Festival, I spotted a billowing red cape at the end of Hynish pier. It belonged to Fiona who was creating a small film peice about her performance art. After chatting to her and her friends Annette and Rose, it transpires that they’d been reunited after 30 years. Unbeknownst to them when they’d booked their festval tickets, the island was going to bring them together again! They’d worked on a film back in the day, and here they were again creating!
It was getting close to the time to leave and I wasn’t prepaerd to let it go just yet. A misty morning trip down to the beach to watch the seaweed glow and the day wake.
Thanks to Screen Argyll and all my fellow Lab participants. What energy, what inspiration.
And thanks Tiree for letting the light through, I’m going to hold onto it as long as I can.
