Judging by the volume of positive correspondence we got at the time, two years ago sustain’ Magazine ran one of its most popular articles: a discussion on roundwood timber building by Sussex woodsman Ben Law.
Thus we were pleased to here that, since September 2012, Salsbury-based Litmus Films has been enjoying unprecedented and exclusive access to film a year in the life of Ben Law.
Ben Law’s Woodland Year follows the life and work of the man Kevin McCloud calls “an extraordinary man – not exactly a warrior for his cause, more the quiet victor” and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall describes as “Britain’s greatest living woodsman with a knack for inspiring others”. Ben has been a respected pioneer in forestry and sustainability circles for 30 years, but first inspired the general public when his cruck-framed self-build was featured on Channel 4 in 2002. That programme has since become Grand Designs‘ most repeated episode, voted the most popular ever by presenter and audience alike.
Yet eco-construction is just one part of Ben’s pioneering work and life as a 21st century woodsman. Litmus Films director Robert Stern says: ‘We may not all be able to live and work in the woods as Ben has for the past 20 years, but Ben’s values and approach to life are just as relevant if you live in a high-rise.”
Ben is happy to share his hard-won knowledge: he’s written classic books on woodland management, woodland life, roundwood timber construction and on his now-iconic self-build. He’s appeared on BBC’s Countryfile, and Harper Collins publishes his next book Woodsman in March.
Since Ben made such an impact on our TV screens back in 2000, broadcasters including the BBC and C4 have tried to make a documentary on his remarkable life, but Ben rejected these approaches. Ben explains why he’s decided to open his (recycled oak) door to Litmus’ cameras in a video for an upcoming online crowdfunding campaign to raise money to complete the project: “I felt there to be in Robert and Litmus a genuine documentary maker as opposed to reality television, and that’s why I felt comfortable to go with it.”
Robert explains why he wanted to follow Ben and his apprentices through an entire annual cycle: “Dropping into Prickly Nut Wood for snapshots of what Ben does is interesting enough, but the only way to really understand Ben’s life and work is to follow his life through the changing seasons.”
Litmus launched its crowdfunding campaign on the Kickstarter platform on February 18th 2013, and it runs till March 31st. Its £50,000 target will fund the completion of a documentary major UK broadcasters have tried and failed to make. Ten national charities, publications and professional organisations active in the areas of woodlands, sustainability and eco-architecture have endorsed the project, including The Woodland Trust, Permaculture Magazine, The Transition Network, the Ecologist and the Sustainable Building Association.
After 13 years making more than 50 broadcast documentaries including many on sustainable themes, Litmus last year tried the innovative internet-based financing model of crowdfunding for the first time. It successfully raised £25,000, the 4th highest total for a UK documentary, for The Ukes Down Under, which followed the first Australian tour of The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.
Ben Law’s Woodland Year ‘s target, if reached, would make it the second-highest amount crowdfunded by a UK documentary. Another £8,000 would break the record.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2006361025/ben-laws-woodland-year
