ISLANDNESS: help us finish the journey!

Thank you all! We've not only hit our core target, but also our stretch target, and in record time. Your support is so appreciated. We are still raising funds – there are always more costs to cover, and we will be looking ahead to distribution soon – so if you have thought about donating but haven't yet, please know your contribution is still welcome and very helpful!

Islandness explores the profound connections between people and place in a world in crisis.

A timely story exploring the essence of humanity amid the shifting tides of our times. – George Monbiot, Environmentalist and Author

Set in the Scottish Hebrides during this pivotal period of unrest, the story follows a diverse group of islanders as their ways of life are shaped by change, asking some of the most pressing questions of our times. This story reveals what ‘islandness' can teach us about togetherness and our connection to the rest of life in times of upheaval, and what this shows us about meaning in a meaning-starved society. The film explores identity, community, and spirituality, as well as practical aspects of island life, journeying through an elemental landscape steeped in history, hardship, and wisdom.

Browse a gallery of stills from the film and don't forget to watch the preview above!

Still from Islandness featuring the philosopher Iain McGilchrist outside Talisker House, Isle of Skye

Following a successful crowdfunding campaign to launch the production phase of the project, I (Hannah) am happy to say I have completed core filming.

Islandness is now entering post-production! Support has poured in from all over the world – from Mexico to the Netherlands, the US to Sweden – crossing countless seas and islands to make this project a reality, and I am grateful for everyone's contributions and encouragement so far. The project has also garnered some stellar testimonials:

This is very profound. It points to the importance of islands in navigating the wider human future. – Alastair McIntosh, Author and Activist

Profound but not pretentious, sensitive, alluring, genuine, fascinating range of voices. – Arun Sood, Writer and Musician (Islandness crew)

You transported me to a different place. There's so much about islands to know more about. Just gorgeous. – Joshua Kauffman, Entrepreneur

Beautiful! Really well shot, and you capture their personalities and set the tone well. This has all the makings of something really special. – James Murray-White, Filmmaker and Activist (Islandness crew)

I am still catching my breath. Just so beautiful, and true, and moving. – Abby Letteri, Author

Still from Islandness featuring the artist Mhairi Killin in the Isle of Iona

We need your help to get Islandness past the finish line. The average budget for a well-produced feature-length documentary can range from £15,000 to £50,000, with £15K being a conservative estimate.

Creating a compelling documentary is no small feat. Organising a dedicated crew and crafting the visual and narrative world of the film all come with significant costs. Most of the budget goes toward the invaluable labour, time, and talent required to bring the story to life. On top of that, there are expenses for research, insurance, licensing, promotion, and more. It all adds up, but each element is crucial to delivering a powerful film.

With your help, we can ensure this film has the best chance possible of having an impact – it is, after all, a socially-minded film relevant to many of the issues our society faces today, such as climate breakdown, the 'meaning crisis', and widespread disconnection from nature. 

Islandness is grounded in the real lives of real people in real places – and we want to listen to what they have to say.

Here is where your contribution will go →

There are two funding tiers (including our 'stretch goal'), each resulting in a different version of the film.

£12.5K → "Bootstrap & Bells"

Elevate the production value with richer visuals, fuller soundscapes, and a new segment to deepen the film’s impact.

£12.5K would help us increase the production value of the film, with all basic elements funded. This budget would allow us to film a new segment, plus get shots we were unable to get in the initial production phase due to being weathered out (such is the Hebrides!), access more archival and aerial footage, and allow us to pay higher wages in line with industry standards. A Gaelic reading would also be included, allowing us to commission a native speaker local to the Hebrides and more powerfully represent this important language.

> New Footage = £800
> Aerial and/or Archival Footage = £1500
> Editing = £5000
> Colour Grading = £3000
> Sound & Score Composition = £1000
> Admin & Contingency = £1200

£15K+ → "Bells & Whistles"

Boost the production value even more, maximise reach through screenings, and ensure the film’s message resonates with larger audiences.

£15K + would not only increase the production value of the film by allowing more budget for editing, colour grading, and sound – it will also enable access to better equipment for additional filming and more choice of archival footage, while also allowing us to create a more secure contingency. 

> New Footage = £800
> Aerial and/or Archival Footage = £2500
> Editing = £6000
> Colour Grading = £3250
> Sound & Score Composition = £1200
> Admin & Contingency = £1250

You're Doing What!?

Editing: from Assembly to the Final Cut. The editors are myself (Hannah) and BBC/Dark Mountain filmmaker, Jonny Randall (more information about the team can be found below)
Score Composition: original soundtrack by the acclaimed Scottish-Indian musician, Arun Sood
Colour Grading: the finishing touches that take the film to the next level
Consulting Producer: Salzburg Fellow and Activist-Filmmaker, James Murray-White

Meet the Team →

Director: Hannah Close

Hannah is a writer, photographer and cultural curator working with islands and oceans. Her words are in the Dark Mountain Project and Centre for Humans and Nature and her viral images of the Hebrides are in the Guardian, Telegraph and Times. Hannah has produced courses for the transformative learning platform advaya, including 'KINSHIP: World as Archipelago', and in 2018 she founded the Experimental Thought Co, a network that convened events on culture change. She co-convenes sailing residencies for artists and lives on a wild Hebridean island with her dog Rune. @hannahlclose (see testimonials)

Consulting Producer: James Murray-White

James has lived and worked in Scotland, Eire, Mongolia, and the Middle East. He is filmmaker in residence with GroundWork Gallery in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, documenting artists exploring environmental issues, and has been filmmaker in residence within the NHS and senior producer for Cambridge TV. He was also a researcher for the Six Inches of Soil documentary. @murraywhitejames

Editor: Jonny Randall

Jonny is a Cumbrian filmmaker who shoots and edits documentaries, animations, music videos and moving image installations. He delivers participatory workshops in filmmaking, stop-motion animation, theatre and improvisation. Jonny collaborates with BBC Arts and the Dark Mountain Project as a film editor: curating screening events and facilitating conversations about how the medium of film can respond to crises of our times. @jonnyrandallfilm

Composer: Arun Sood

Arun is a writer, musician and academic. He was born in Aberdeen to a West-Highland Mother and a Punjabi father, and has since lived in Glasgow, Amsterdam, DC, and now South Devon where he is Lecturer in Global Literatures at the University of Exeter. Arun’s practice ranges from fiction, academic publications, and poetry to ambient musical tapestries made up of field-recordings, accordion, piano, spoken word and synths. His outputs reflect on diasporic identities, ancestry and memory. @arun__sood (see Arun in The Guardian)

What Happens Next?

While this campaign is aimed at generating post-production funds, there is one more phase left – distribution! Reaching our stretch goal will help us on the way to distribution. To help you understand how this film might live on, see this list of platforms and venues that have expressed interest in screening our film:

• The Waterbear Network
• Kendal Mountain Festival
• The Scientific and Medical Network
• The Dartington Trust
• GalGael
• Ocean Rebellion
• The Climate Majority Project

Plus many more cultural venues, island places, arts centres and so on.

The release of the film will be accompanied by a screening tour and a book.

Other Ways You Can Help →

Your contribution, big or small, helps us tell a story that needs to be heard. We understand times are tough right now, so if a donation isn’t possible, there are plenty of other ways you can support the film. Sharing it with friends, family, and your wider network helps enormously. If you have a platform on social media, a newsletter, podcast etc. that's also a great way to share the message. And for the hashtag savvy → #islandnessfilm

Thank you for your support!
Hannah & the Islandness Crew x

P.s. You can watch the old 'proof of concept' footage below to see how far the film has come. The second clip was partially filmed on a phone – needless to say – we've reached new shores!