Fresh Cuts 48 Hour Film Challenge 2026

The Challenge saw the Fresh Cuts trainees being tested to their creative limits as they were split into two teams and provided with briefs from the Scottish Enduro Association and SCOTT Sports.

The challenge; to interpret the brief provided, craft a storyline, film, edit and deliver back to the clients, in 48 hours!

Filmed in various locations across the Tweed Valley, Scotland, watching these teams hustle against the clock was something else!

The brief from the Scottish Enduro Association - Scottish Enduro Series 2026 Promo

The board of the Scottish Enduro Association is challenging filmmakers to create an exciting, short promotional film for their 2026 Scottish Enduro Series (SES).

Over 48 hours, teams will conceptualise, film, and edit a dynamic promo that captures the energy, culture, landscapes, and community of enduro racing in Scotland.

The film will feature elite Scottish riders

• Innes Graham

• Megan Giblin

The final film has already been used, in advance of the first round in the Tweed Valley, to promote the 2026 series, reaching riders, fans, sponsors and the wider mountain biking community.

Huge thanks to the Scottish Enduro Association and both Innes and Megan for stepping in on the day as the planned Brand had to withdraw due to ill health.

SCOTT were looking for a dynamic social media campaign capturing the joy of e-MTB's and promoting the Lumen SL with range Extender and HPR60.

They provided ideas of the personas of the people that they would like to target with this bike and it had to be something that showed that with the Lumen you keep only the "Enjoyable side" of biking and it's the best tool to "Elevate your Horizon".

Huge thanks to Scotty Laughland who was an absolute delight to work with, got stuck in and stayed with the team for the whole challenge.

Enjoy some of the images from the challenge and we will be sharing this short film soon - watch this space!

Both teams worked incredibly well together, drawing on each other’s strengths to edit and deliver their films on time. Staying together at the ideal base of Kailzie Big Lodge helped them stay focused on the challenge, while also building strong connections and lasting friendships along the way.

The trainees are continuing to work hard on thier individual film projects and an industry showcase/exhibition/celebration of the programme and the body of the work created by the cohort, is being held at the Birnam Arts Centre in Dunkeld on the 12th June 2026.

Invited attendees are expected to be Scottish Government, MTB brands and media companies and wider broadcast and film production companies. We will also be offering tickets to the event to the wider MTB community - more details coming soon.

The six aspiring creatives will introduce their film projects and provide a first hand insight into their experience of the programme.

This evening will also see key individuals in the project, explain the background to the project, highlight the successes of and explain the potential gains to Scotland's internationally successful screen and content creation industry by continuing to fund programmes such as this.

It is hoped that highlighting the successes and potential of the programme, will foster increased collaboration and shared understanding for the potential of ‘crossover’ work between branded content developers and ‘traditional’ TV and film productions, while ensuring a coherent pathway for entry into the MTB and adventure film industry.

A full evaluation of the 2026 programme will be carried out by Edinburgh Napier University on completion of the programme.