Tourism Ireland / Home Of Halloween

Bringing Ireland’s Ancient Origins of Halloween to Life

At Tiny Ark, we are always drawn to projects that allow us to combine powerful storytelling with ambitious production. Our collaboration with Tourism Ireland, “Home of Halloween,” was exactly that. It was an opportunity to explore the deep cultural roots of Halloween while creating a cinematic piece that would resonate with audiences around the world.

Directed by the incredibly talented Leonn Ward and shot beautifully on 16mm by Jake Gabbay, the project set out to capture Ireland as it might have looked over 2,000 years ago, when the ancient festival of Samhain first marked the transition from summer to winter. From the earliest stages, our goal was to create a film that felt authentic, atmospheric, and grounded in the landscape and mythology that gave rise to the tradition.

We filmed in Craggaunowen in County Clare. The natural terrain, unpredictable weather, and remote environments presented their own challenges, but they also added an authenticity and texture that became central to the film’s visual language.

Shooting on 16mm was a deliberate creative choice. The format gave the imagery a tactile, almost timeless quality that perfectly complemented the story we were telling. It required a carefully considered approach to production, with every setup, movement, and moment planned with precision. Leonn and Jake worked closely together to build a visual tone that felt both cinematic and rooted in the natural world.

One of the biggest challenges was balancing scale with subtlety. We wanted to create something that felt epic and mythic, but still intimate enough to draw viewers into the world of ancient Ireland.

The collaboration with Publicis London and Tourism Ireland was integral throughout the process. From the initial concept through to the final execution, there was a shared ambition to create something distinctive that honored the history behind Halloween while showcasing the beauty and mystique of Ireland itself.

Seeing the campaign connect so strongly with audiences, reaching millions of viewers shortly after release and receiving Campaign’s “Ad of the Day”, has been incredibly rewarding for everyone involved. For us at Tiny Ark, it was a special project to be part of: a chance to celebrate Irish heritage through craft, collaboration, and storytelling.

Projects like this remind us why we love what we do - bringing together talented people, remarkable places, and meaningful stories to create work that travels far beyond the production itself.