There’s a soft spot in my heart specifically reserved for hedgehogs, and the star of this video is no exception.
‘Saving Harry’, a two minute animation commissioned by Wildlife Aid UK, shows a hedgehog following a set of nimble magical pawprints from suburbia to the woods, where he finds a pretty hedgehog friend to play with. Directed by Kris Hoffman, illustrated by Sandra Dieckmann, and brought to life by a team of talented creatives, this adorable video, which puts the spotlight on the dwindling British hedgehog population, will melt your heart this Christmas.
Set to the song ‘I’m Seeing Stars’ by The Elephant Rooms, this utterly charming little video snippet not only brings the plight of hedgehogs into the public domain, but also stands on its own two feet as a powerful piece of creative work. Superbly animated, from Harry’s soft, autumnal quills to the woodland fauna, there’s a handmade, papercraft element to this cute little mixed-media short. Following in the pawprints of The Bear & The Hare, this mini masterpiece brings to mind the animated greats I watched as a kid: from The Herbs to The Magic Roundabout, and maybe even a shimmer of Farthing Wood.
With the UK hedgehog population having dropped from 30 million to 1 million in the last 60 years, this sad but heartfelt short reminds us that we need to work harder to look after the world around us and the beautiful creatures in it.
If you like this lovely video then you’ll be pleased to discover that we stock illustrated products by Sandra Dieckmann in our online shop here: ohhdeer.com/collections/sandra-dieckmann.