Place is inextricably linked to who we are as human beings and where we live forms a part of our DNA. With one of the most varied and beautiful landscapes on Earth, the USA offers the kind of adventure that many dream of, but few get the chance to truly experience.

Brand USA approached the BBC and Lonelyleap to produce a series of twelve films that would invite the viewer into these landscapes and encourage them to visit and experience it for themselves.

After a successful first series, ‘USA Through Film’, Lonelyleap embarked on the challenge of creating films that would truly let the beauty of the outdoors do the talking, whilst providing an insider’s perspective on each location. We wanted to show the great outdoors of the USA in its purest and most authentic light - through the eyes of local people.

In contrast to the first series, we sought to use less well-known contributors - choosing those that have a unique and intimate bond with the environment. So began an intensive research and discovery phase of finding and contacting potential contributors.

Our search led us to a bodysurfer making handplanes out of recycled surfboards, wetsuits and waste products in Encinitas, a horse whisperer taming violent horses in Georgia, and a pair of adventurers making origami kayaks in San Francisco.

Each person had one unique quality that exemplified a deep connection to the landscape around them.

Shooting in twelve vastly different locations all across America and in the space of just six weeks, we went from sea, to desert, to snow and everything in-between. By opting for no on-screen interviews, the films follow the voices of each protagonist whilst allowing for the visuals to truly do the talking. Our hope is that, by watching these films, you feel as though you’re experiencing each inch of every place as our locals do.