Arran Outdoor Education Centre hosts famous film crew
Our Community Learning and Development team are excited to reveal that Arran Outdoor Education Centre was one of the filming location bases for Ocean, Sir David Attenborough’s new record-breaking documentary.
Released in May to mark Attenborough’s 99th birthday, Ocean has become the highest grossing documentary of 2025, earning £2.5million globally.
Over the last few years, film crews were dispatched across the globe to capture the extraordinary footage that makes Ocean such a powerful cinematic experience. Of those locations, Arran Outdoor Education Centre played a critical role, hosting the production team on two separate occasions.
The documentary has drawn praise for its urgent message on ocean conservation. Filming Director Doug Anderson, a veteran of high-profile nature documentaries, praised the Arran Outdoor Education Centre’s location beside Scotland’s only No Take Zone, as well as its facilities and staff.
He said: “Perfectly situated beside Scotland’s only No Take Zone, Arran Outdoor Education Centre offered everything we needed, a safe slipway to launch our boat, secure storage for our extremely expensive film equipment, and a quiet, supportive environment that allowed us to focus on our work. The staff are experienced, helpful, and truly exceptional.”
Quote: It was great to be able to accommodate the Silverback Productions Crew, their work in the making of this incredible documentary perfectly complements the ethos and mission here at Arran Outdoor Education Centre.
Quote from: Martin Wood, Arran Outdoor Education Centre Team Leader
With Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Islands adding: “North Ayrshire Council is delighted to have welcomed the filmmakers to provide hospitality and respite at Arran Outdoor Education Centre.
“Local conservation areas like the nearby Lamlash Bay No Take Zone are important not only to the studies and protection of local marine biodiversity but also to global storytelling and environmental education, therefore it has been our honour to have welcomed Sir David Attenborough’s latest documentary film crew to showcase the rich biodiversity we have here on Arran and North Ayrshire.”
Stay tuned to the latest news and education expeditions to the centre by following Arran Outdoor Education Centre on Facebook.
Released globally on May 8 to coincide with Sir David’s 99th birthday, Ocean has taken the world by storm and has become the highest-grossing documentary of 2025.
From remote tropical seas to Scotland’s protected waters, Ocean is a heartfelt plea by Sir David for healthier seas for the sake of the next generation. Astronaut Tim Peake described the film as “the most powerful call to action yet by Sir David” and declared it “a must see for everyone.”
Published: 10 June 2025