Edinburgh’s statues spring into life with the help of AI filming techniques
Statues have been springing to life across Scotland’s capital city thanks to the creative talents of an award-winning filmmaker from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh.
Walid Salhab, a media practice lecturer at QMU, has injected life into Edinburgh’s most recently created sculptures using a blend of photography, AI and visual storytelling.
The bronze statue of Scottish boxing legend, Ken Buchanan, located at the back of the St James Quarter; Wojtek, the Soldier Bear Memorial, in Princes Street Gardens; and Paddington Bear in St Andrew Square Garden, have all shaken off years of immobility and are now strutting around the streets of Edinburgh.
Boxing champ, Ken Buchanan, starts throwing some quick jabs and punches before walking off his plinth in the direction of Leith Walk; and Wojtek the bear, who fought alongside Polish soldiers in World War II, can be seen enjoying a head scratch and ear rubs before taking a stroll with his Polish owner in Princes Street Gardens. One of the latest additions to Edinburgh’s collection of statues, Paddington Bear, starts eating his iconic marmalade sandwich before heavy rainfall cuts his picnic short and he leaves his park bench for shelter.
Walid, the creative talent behind these now moving icons, is an award-winning filmmaker and lecturer who is particularly well-known for his unique style of stop-motion/time-lapse filmmaking. Over the last decade, Walid has gained international attention with his stunning portrayals of Edinburgh’s iconic buildings and landscapes. His dynamic stop-motion/time-lapse film of the full five-month build phase of The Kelpies helped to put Falkirk on the international tourism map when the majestic equine monuments were launched in Scotland and New York in 2014.
Walid has since gone on to apply his dynamic stop-motion/time-lapse techniques to short films which have won him countless accolades in the international film festival circuit. In recent years, he has taught himself animation, creating an emotional short film, ‘Sea of Hope’ about a refugee family’s perilous boat trip across treacherous seas, which was screened at over 90 festivals and won more than 50 international film awards.
Discussing his latest work, Walid said: “To be a good film lecturer, and to enthuse your students, you need to keep experimenting with new techniques and ideas. It’s important to keep your work fresh and to be innovative with your storytelling. Over the last few years, I’ve been teaching myself animation and now I am experimenting with AI.
“I’m applying AI to photography of statues and landscapes of Edinburgh to push the boundaries of my visual storytelling. My main film successes have always been in the creation of short films. However, my goal is to work out if I can use AI to create a full feature length film. So, I am experimenting to see if one person alone, without the expense of a full crew of actors and camera operators, can create a full feature length movie. If it can be achieved, it will open doors for more talented filmmakers to create movies without the requirement for big budgets and external investment.”
Walid continued: “I have always loved showcasing my home city of Edinburgh, and I’ve made lots of stop-motion/time-lapse films which feature many of the capital’s impressive buildings and landscapes. Recently, I have used AI to enhance some of the footage which I’ve taken in previous years, thereby creating new updated film clips. It’s all part of my research process which I hope will eventually lead to a feature length film one day.”
Discussing his work with the statues, Walid said: “I’ve enjoyed working with AI to bring some of our city’s statues to life. Often people walk by them without really noticing them, but I hope that my recent film clips can shine a light on these impressive statues and entice people to find out the fascinating stories behind these impressive artworks.
“Who could fail to be fascinated by the endearing story of Wojtek the bear – the Syrian brown bear adopted by Polish troops during World War II, who helped them carry ammunition. Wojtek fought side by side with soldiers, became an honorary member of the Polish Army’s 22nd Artillery Supply Company, and spent his years after the war in Edinburgh Zoo.
“It was also fun to bring Ken Buchanan’s bronze statue to life – allowing the public to see him in action again, throwing some speedy jabs. Ken secured his place in boxing history by conquering the lightweight division in the early 1970s, and he is recognised as one of Scotland’s most successful sportsmen.
“And of course, who doesn’t love the image of Paddington Bear, with his signature red hat, blue duffle coat, and marmalade sandwich? The Paddington Bear statue in Edinburgh is part of a ‘Paddington Visits’ trail across the UK, which helped to launch the 2024 film ‘Paddington in Peru’, a live-action animated adventure comedy film.”
Walid’s animated film clips of Edinburgh’s statues have sparked widespread interest, especially on , where the three videos have collectively achieved more than 21,000 views. On the response has been even more impressive: the Ken Buchanan animation has attracted 100,000 views, Wojtek has reached 1,000, and Paddington leads the pack with a remarkable 200,000 views (as of the time of writing).
Walid concluded: “I love showcasing Edinburgh in my film work, and I hope people enjoy the short film clips of the statues and are encouraged to seek them out, and delve into their individual stories. I’m certainly planning to do more of this experimental filmmaking and to use the power of AI to celebrate Edinburgh’s artistic and cultural landmarks.”
You can view more of Walid’s latest animation films on and .
Statue of Wojtek the Bear
Wojtek the Bear, a remarkable and endearing figure, holds a special place in both Polish and Scottish history. During World War II, he became an honorary member of the Polish Army’s 22nd Artillery Supply Company. Adopted as a cub, Wojtek grew alongside his fellow soldiers and even contributed to their wartime efforts. His story is evidence of the extraordinary bonds that can form between humans and animals in the most challenging of circumstances.
Former world lightweight champion Ken Buchanan MBE
Ken Buchanan is regarded as one of Britain’s greatest ever boxers. He won his first 33 professional fights. He became WBA world lightweight champion in 1970, defeating Ismael Laguna over 15 rounds in the searing heat of Puerto Rico. In that year he was the American Boxing Writers’ Association’s Fighter of the Year, ahead of Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. In 1971 Ken defeated Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles to become WBC and undisputed world lightweight champion.
Paddington Bear statue in Edinburgh
A Paddington Bear statue trail has been established in the UK, including locations in Scotland, as part of a promotional campaign for the movie ‘Paddington in Peru’. One of these statues is located in St Andrew Square Garden in Edinburgh, where visitors can take photos and enjoy a marmalade sandwich.
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk); T: 07711 011239.
