For seventeen consecutive nights in late October and early November, visitors enjoyed the spectacle, with black light's work recognised by an interview on prime time BBC news programme Reporting Scotland.
Several different areas of woodland were looked at as potential venues by landowner the Forestry Commission. Faskally Wood, near Pitlochry, was chosen after consultation with black light project manager Paul McGreal about the creative possibilities it offered. "The site surrounds a small loch, so there was a lot of potential for using the water as a canvas," says McGreal. "It meant visitors would see the various installations from many different vantage points, providing a constantly changing view."
The Forestry Commission Scotland runs the event under the banner of the Perthshire Big Tree Country Initiative, whose partners include Perth and Kinross Council, Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust, with additional funding from Event Scotland.
The site covers more than a mile of paths. "It would have been very easy to string festoon lighting along the paths, but that would have been extremely dull for visitors," says McGreal. "Our way is to throw light at features and use the bounceback to light the path, ensuring that everything provides optimum interest."
black light also designed and built a floating video screen and bespoke AV production, a water screen with second, separate AV production, neon candles placed on custom designed and built miniature boats, a bridge brought to life with light nets and an illuminated waterfall.
Another element was the Spooky Wood, eerily lit with flame cans and dimmed, coiled rope lights resembling snakes, while fog from a Le Maitre Stadium Hazer added a sense of mystery.
The 2005 Enchanted Forest was held to be a great success by organisers and visitors alike. Jennifer Moran, business relationship & marketing manager for VisitScotland Perthshire comments, "black light successfully transformed Faskally Wood into a spectacular light and sound show. From colourfully lit trees, illuminated pathways, a fleet of brightly illuminated boats bobbing on the water to living rock faces - the forest truly did come alive."
(Jim Evans)
