Influx of film productions injects £23.5m into Scottish economy

The value of film and television production coming into Scotland from outside continues to rise, according to figures issued today by Scottish Screen.
During 2003 an estimated £23.5 million pounds was spent by mobile productions, representing a £1.5 million increase on 2002. Ten years ago, only two features were shot in part or in total in Scotland, and the annual value of incoming production was an estimated £15 million.
The emergence of BBC Scotland as a centre for children's television production has significantly contributed to industrial growth, as has the popularity of Scotland for Bollywood films. Scotland, and particularly Glasgow, is the largest production centre in the UK outside the south east of England.
Amongst the biggest spending feature films were 'Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban', shot mainly in Glencoe and Glenfinnan, Ken Loach's 'Ae Fond Kiss' (Glasgow), 'Dear Frankie' (Greenock) and 'Blue Harvest', Werner Herzog¹s spoof documentary on Loch Ness. Seventeen feature films were shot in total or in part in Scotland last year.
Big television productions included the fourth series of 'Monarch of the Glen', the children's drama series 'Shoebox Zoo', the Christmas edition of 'EastEnders' and the paranormal thriller series 'Sea of Souls'. Also shot in Scotland was Rosamund Pilcher's 'Winter Solstice' for German TV which has proved so successful that it has been bought by ITV and will be followed up by a second even bigger feature called 'Summer Solstice'.
As usual television commercials made a major contribution to Scotland's film economy with adverts for banks, cars, mobile phones, utilities and whisky all using Scotland as a backdrop. Expenditure by incoming film and television companies was spread primarily between hiring local film crews, hotel accommodation for incoming personnel, transportation hire, technical equipment hire and location fees. Last year's total expenditure represents the equivalent of over one thousand full time jobs being paid the average salary.
(gmcg)