The Last Elk
Over 11,000 years ago Elk roamed Ireland. The Last Elk re-imagines the story of the last of the wild Irish elk.
The Last Elk re-imagines the story of the last of the wild Irish elk. Each animal is represented by a different musical sound; the elk experience peace, alongside harshness and strife, but always remain harmonious. When the last elk is killed at the hand of man, the music ceases, and the elk becomes a relic of Ireland’s natural history.
As each elk dies, so too does the instrument it is attached to till all is quiet.
The Last Elk is an award-winning animated short film which was created by Brown Bag Films in 1998. Now extinct, The Irish Elk (Megaloceros Giganteus) was the largest deer that ever lived. They first appeared about 400,000 years ago in Europe and Central Asia and the last Elk in Ireland died around 11,000 years ago.
The Last Elk was written, animated and directed by Alan Shannon, produced by Darragh O’Connell and Cathal Gaffney with music and sound design by Darren Hendley.
Written, animated and directed by: Alan Shannon
Produced by: Darragh O’Connell and Cathal Gaffney
Music and sound design by: Darren Hendley
Year of Production: 1998
Commissioned by: RTE, IFB & Arts Council
