by Gordon Craigie
WE’VE NOT been short of film-related excitement in Scotland over the last few years. Epic historical movies like Mary Queen of Scots, Outlaw King and Robert the Bruce, as well as more contemporary offerings such as Wild Rose and Beats, have won both awards and critical acclaim. Major television productions like The Victim and, more recently, Guilt, have also ensured that Scotland’s creative potential has been highlighted. And that’s without even mentioning the whole Outlander phenomenon!
The film and television industry contributes a significant, and growing, amount of money to the Scottish economy. In 2017 that figure was around £100m and the lead body for the industry, Screen Scotland, has a target of raising that to £160m by 2022. But that growth is by no means guaranteed or straightforward despite the undoubted wealth of writing, acting and production talent in Scotland or, indeed, the abundance of screen-friendly locations. One huge disadvantage is the lack of studio facilities. Currently, Wardpark Studios in Cumbernauld is Scotland’s only fulltime elite film and television studio.