The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Blockbusters bring £5m spinoff benefits.
Screen office says big productions like Outlander and Succession are huge money-raisers
Blockbuster filming in Tayside and Fife brought £5 million into the local economy over 12 months, a screen body claims.
Regional screen office Fifescreen+tayscreen’s latest annual review found production benefited Courier Country to that amount during 2018-19 – and predicts this year’s figures could be even better.
Leading names from the big and small screen, including Outlander and Netflix’s The Outlaw King, have helped drive up tourism by inspiring large numbers of fans to visit both film locations and the historic places depicted.
Other highlights have ranged from spy feature Mr Jones to dramas Succession and Traces, commercial production for Ford and Porsche and prestigious fashion labels and brands such as Harper’s Bazaar, Browns, Jill Sander and Vogue.
The region also benefits when broadcast events choose locations like the Biggest Weekend at Scone Palace, the Open at Carnoustie and Solheim Cup at Gleneagles, with BBC Radio 1’s
“With our research finding one in five visitors are inspired to plan a trip to Scotland after seeing it on screen, the opportunities for the tourism industry in the region are immense. CAROLINE WARBURTON, VISITSCOTLAND
Big Weekend set to follow in Dundee later this year.
Caroline Warburton, regional leadership director for Visitscotland, said: “With our research finding one in five visitors are inspired to plan a trip to Scotland after seeing it on screen, the opportunities for the tourism industry in the region are immense.
“The success of major TV productions like HBO’S Succession will no doubt attract further attention to the area, while films such as Mary Queen of Scots and Outlaw King draw people to the real historical sites and links across the region.”
According to Fifescreen+tayscreen’s report, Fife and Perthshire have been favourites, though the V&A Dundee has helped encourage firms to use other City of Discovery locations.
It details how production in the area also means jobs and business from crew members for accommodation, catering and leisure activities.
Mark Flynn, depute convener of city development at Dundee City Council, said: “Screen production has such a great impact on raising the profile of the area so it’s brilliant to see the region’s popularity for all kinds of media production, including film and TV, continuing to grow.”
Perth and Kinross Council believes the production spend in the area for 2018-19 was approximately £1.15 million, with an economic impact of £2.3 million.
A spokesperson said: “As well as highlighting the beautiful natural environment of the area on a global stage, Tv/film and other productions make an important contribution to our local economy.”