Written by new-contact on Dec 7, 2012. Posted in On Location

Northumberland in England holds forum to promote local filming locations

Northumberland in north-east England has held a forum to promote its filming locations. Northern Film and Media organised the event that offered a networking opportunity and discussions on how to boost the region’s production industry.

Visiting productions spend around GBP7 million a year in the county. Recent high-profile shoots have included feature The Railway Man, with Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, and TV drama Vera. Northumberland signed the UK’s Filming Friendly Charter in 2010.

Councillor Neil Bradbury is responsible for tourism at Northumberland County Council: “The social and economic value of seeing our region on cinema and TV screens is huge. Filming in the area, whether it be for a TV commercial or a Hollywood blockbuster, brings with it the type of publicity that no amount of money can buy. There are great spin-offs throughout the local tourism industry and the economy, as history has proven.

When Alnwick Castle doubled as Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter blockbuster movies, the town attracted worldwide attention from fans of the books and films.

Councillor Neil Bradbury, Northumberland County Council

“When Alnwick Castle (above) doubled as Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter blockbuster movies, the town attracted worldwide attention from fans of the books and films.”

The county could benefit from the UK’s TV tax credit, which will be designed to boost high-end TV production activity across Britain and is scheduled to be launched in April 2013. Locations across northern England are becoming more popular, with spy thriller Jack Ryan and action sequel Fast Six both filming recently in Liverpool.

(Alnwick Castle still: Phil Thomas)