Shetland — 4 March 2026
Shetland — 12 March 2026 · News & Updates
On Location in Shetland: Filming Lisa Manson, a New Co-Director, and the First Flight of the Finn Moray Drone
Calum Youngson heads the location shoot and production and joins as co-director as the team heads north to capture the third featured vocalist interview, with the project’s first drone taking to the Shetland skies
Richard Gordon on location in Shetland for the Lisa Manson interview
The Finn Moray production team has been on location in Shetland this week, filming the interview with Lisa Manson, the third featured vocalist confirmed for AON: THE GATHERING. As always, the interview is helmed by BBC radio and television presenter Richard Gordon, whose measured, authoritative style has become the signature of the Finn Moray vocalist series. Look out for Lisa’s interview next week on Finn Moray TV.
This trip, however, marks a significant expansion of the production. Calum Youngson, an Aberdeen native now based in London, heads the location shoot and production and joins as co-director of the interview alongside David Sheret. Calum is an exceptional filmmaker who has been doing this for twenty-five years, producing and directing films all around the world. A former Bloomberg producer and director, he studied film in New York — same as David — and the pair have worked together on multiple projects over the years, including short films, documentaries and news productions. He is someone David admires greatly, and his eye for cinematic storytelling and his experience in high-pressure broadcast environments make him a natural fit for the ambition behind AON: THE GATHERING.
The trip also saw the debut of the first Finn Moray drone, now part of the project’s growing production equipment. Shetland — with its vast, exposed coastlines and relentless wind — was as demanding a proving ground as you could ask for. The drone performed admirably, capturing sweeping aerial footage of the islands that will feature in the Lisa Manson interview and across future Finn Moray content.
Calum Youngson and Eilidh Brown remain in Shetland to film the South Mainland Up Helly Aa (SMUHA) tomorrow — one of several Up Helly Aa fire festivals held across Shetland each year, each with its own community, its own Jarl Squad, and its own fierce local pride. Lisa’s family are playing a starring role in this year’s event. The footage will add a powerful cultural layer to the Shetland chapter of the album.
Watch the Footage
Richard Gordon on location in Shetland for the Lisa Manson interview
"Calum is an exceptional talent and we are incredibly lucky to have him join us for location shooting over the next three months. He’s been doing this for twenty-five years, all around the world, and I’ve admired his work for as long as I can remember. When you’re building something with this level of ambition, you need someone who brings genuine craft, instinct and experience. Calum brings all three. The mix of Calum and Richard’s skill and experience lifts Finn Moray yet again. This is a game-changer for the production."
A Co-Director with Global Experience
Calum Youngson’s career spans continents, formats and twenty-five years of relentless craft. After studying film in New York, he moved into broadcast journalism and production at Bloomberg, where he honed a sharp editorial instinct and the ability to deliver polished content under pressure. He has since produced and directed films all around the world, and is widely regarded as an exceptional talent in his field. David has long admired his work, and bringing him into the Finn Moray fold represents a significant step up in the project’s production capability.
His appointment as co-director signals the growing ambition of the Finn Moray production. What began as a single-camera interview series is evolving into a multi-layered visual narrative, with drone footage, location filming and a directorial partnership that draws on decades of combined experience in storytelling.
The Drone Takes Flight
The Finn Moray drone made its maiden flight over the Shetland coastline this week, and the results speak for themselves. The aerial footage captures the raw, elemental beauty of the islands — the kind of landscape that words alone cannot do justice. Considering the notorious Shetland wind, the drone performed remarkably well, delivering stable, cinematic shots that will become a signature element of the project’s visual identity going forward.
The investment in drone capability reflects the team’s commitment to production quality. Every interview, every location shoot, every piece of content is designed to match the ambition of the music itself. Scotland deserves to be seen properly, and now the project has the tools to show it from every angle.
Up Helly Aa and the Shetland Story
Calum and Eilidh Brown are staying on in Shetland to film the South Mainland Up Helly Aa (SMUHA), one of several Up Helly Aa fire festivals held across the islands each winter and spring. While the Lerwick festival in January is the largest and most famous, communities across Shetland hold their own celebrations — each with its own Jarl Squad, its own galley, and its own fierce local identity. SMUHA, based in Cunningsburgh, carries all the spectacle and tradition of its larger cousin. Lisa Manson’s family are playing a starring role in this year’s event, adding a deeply personal dimension to the Shetland chapter of AON: THE GATHERING.
The footage from SMUHA will sit alongside the interview and drone material to create a rich, immersive portrait of Shetland — its people, its traditions, and the fierce pride that runs through every aspect of island life. It is exactly the kind of cultural depth that sets Finn Moray apart.
The Finn Awards, Scotland 2026
While the production team is on location in Shetland, nominations continue to build for The Finn Awards, Scotland 2026 — the project’s initiative to recognise Scotland’s leading social media influencers and digital creators. Fifteen categories, every prize split 50/50 between the winning creator and their chosen Scottish charity.
If you know someone who deserves recognition for the work they do online — whether that’s in music, comedy, sport, food, fashion, community or any other field — visit the Finn Awards page and nominate them today. The awards are built on the same Social Compact principle that drives everything Finn Moray does: value flowing back into Scotland, through the people who make it what it is.
What’s Coming
Lisa Manson’s full interview with Richard Gordon will be available next week on Finn Moray TV. Look out tonight for more on this story on Ally Begg’s AB TV podcast.
In the meantime, sign up to the Finn Moray Finnatics to be the first to hear about new releases, interviews and exclusive content — and get 10% off anything from the shop.
"Scotland has a creator class that deserves to be taken seriously. People who build audiences through craft, consistency, and character, and who often carry community on their shoulders without ever calling it that. The Finn Awards is our way of recognising that work properly, with heart, and with a structure that ensures the value flows back into Scotland through each winner's chosen charity whilst also supporting and recognising them."
To find out more about how to enter the awards or audition for AON: THE GATHERING, email: [email protected]
