Journalist Brandon Cook has just released a short independent research documentary film which presents the proposal for a new oil rig decommissioning site at Hunterston in North Ayrshire.
The film aims to provide an impartial and objective view of the plans, leaving the viewer to form their own opinion.
Featuring footage of the site at Hunterston, marine life and the surrounding scenery on the west coast of Scotland, this 27-minute film explores the case for the potential new developments, as well as the concerns against the proposal. Brandon Cook said,
“This project, which is part of my degree, has taken about six months of research, filming and editing and it feels great to finally get it out. It is a completely independent film which cost nothing to make, other than my time. Everyone who contributed was really helpful, either by giving interviews or letting me use existing footage. Without their help, this film would have been very difficult to make, and I thank all involved. The reason I chose this subject for my degree film was that I was aware of so many heavily biased social media posts on both sides of this debate, and I wanted to bring all the arguments together and present them in an unbiased manner. What’s happening at Hunterston potentially affects a lot of people, so it’s very important that they know the facts of what’s going on there, and can make their own informed decisions.”
The film includes a number of interviews with specialists in fields such as marine science, chemical engineering, construction and conservation. We also hear from the local community and members of the protest group, Friends of the Firth of Clyde.
An unexpected star of the film is “Kylie” the dolphin (as seen on BBC), resident in the River Clyde, whose habitat and wellbeing is discussed in the documentary. This independent film was made as part of a creative research project for the University of The West of Scotland (UWS). Brandon Cook who made the film is in his final year at UWS on the BA (Hons) Journalism course. The Hunterston Proposal can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-ZFj-IL8XA&t=111s