After years of campaigning on the part of local creatives, the Scottish Government has finally approved plans to install a GBP250 million production facility on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Located near Straiton, the complex will have six sound stages, two backlots and a 180-room hotel on site.
In a historic win, Damien’s Chazelle’s La La Land took home all seven of the awards it was nominated for, including Best Screenplay and Best Original Song. As an ode to the golden age of Hollywood musicals, La La Land was filmed largely in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Pentland Studio, a proposed filming facility in Scotland has suffered a setback after the Midlothian Council, responsible for the desired land in Crieff, has been unable to reach an agreement on planning permission. Estimated to cost GBP230 million, the new 10,000 acre studio would be the first of its kind in Scotland, which currently lacks official sound stages.
The new BBC series The Secret Agent, which aired its first episode on Sunday, was filmed on location in the streets of Edinburgh. Adapted from Joseph Conrad’s novel of the same name, the show stars Toby Jones (Dad’s Army) as Verloc, the owner of a 19th century sex shop who soon becomes embroiled in a plot of political espionage between Britain and Russia.
Production began last Friday on the upcoming BBC psychological thriller The Replacement, shooting on location in Glasgow. The programme was commissioned by the BBC’s Polly Hill in December 2015 and will consist of three episodes of 60 minutes each.
Film tourism has been cited as the main cause for propelling the success of Edinburgh’s hotel industry in recent years. The Scottish capital will soon overtake Dublin as the second busiest city for hotels and accommodation in Western Europe, with London currently sat at number one.
Film production in the UK is booming after having taken in over GBP1 billion for two consecutive years, with television productions attracting major investors from around the world. This news can largely be accredited to the success of both the UK Film and High-end TV tax relief systems.
Taboo, an eight episode drama series for FX and the BBC will be filmed in London. Created by Steven Knight and directed by Kristoffer Nyholm, the show will star Tom Hardy alongside an international cast including Michael Kelly, Oona Chaplin, and Jessie Buckley.