How did Scotland become a Hollywood hotspot?

From superhero blockbusters to Netflix romantic comedies, Scotland is becoming increasingly familiar to Hollywood.

Twisters star Glen Powell could appear on the set of sci-fi novel The Running Man in Glasgow in the autumn, while Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire will be the backdrop for a new version of Frankenstein.

These productions join a long list of movies and TV shows that have been filmed in the country over the past decade.

Tourism chiefs are keen to see successful productions in Scotland, as well as New Zealand, where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films were filmed, and places set in fantasy series. It hopes to follow in the footsteps of Northern Ireland, which has seen an increase in tourism from Game of Thrones fans. .

For some films, such as Orkney-set drama Outrun and the hit TV show Outlander, filming on location in Scotland is a natural choice as the story itself is set in Scotland. .

Scotland’s landscape and wilderness are unique, and in most cases it’s relatively easy to get to from major cities.

But over the past decade, cities across the country have taken their place. Ray Taran, head of film at the Royal Academy of Music of Scotland, suggests that the cause lies in architectural cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh.

He says it “looks beautiful” on the big screen.

Taran also pointed to the growing number of domestic studio offerings, including First Stage Studios in Leith and Ward Park Film and Television Studios in Cumbernauld.

Mr Tarran told BBC Scotland News: “This gives production companies the flexibility to not only use Scotland for scenery, but also studio facilities.

“The more productions that are successfully filmed here, the more confidence we will have in this area and the better our reputation will be.”

There is another reason – money.

Like the rest of the UK, Scotland is able to offer tax breaks on productions, which not only provides additional funding but also increases its appeal.

For example, Glasgow City Council gave Warner Bros. around £150,000 to film the DC Comics movie Batgirl in the city, but it was completed after studio chiefs decided not to release it. The film never saw the light of day again.

Glasgow has been particularly adaptable, with its streets doubling as London in the Fast and Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw, and as the legendary comic book setting Gotham City in the opening of the comic book adventure The Flash. The parade scene featured New York in the 1960s. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Cheryl Conway, head of Screen Scotland’s screen committee, told BBC Scotland News that the country had “versatility” that was attractive to studios.

Of course, the opposite can also be true. The cheesy festive romance film Merry Scottish Christmas used Duns Castle in the Scottish Borders for exterior filming, but despite the title, almost the entire film was shot in Ireland.

A considerable amount. Recent fares include…

Frankenstein (Netflix) The Rig Series 2 (Prime Video), Fear (Prime Video), Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (Sky) One Day (Netflix), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Amblin) The Outrun (Arcade Pictures) Tetris (Apple TV+)Andor (Disney+)The Batman (Warner Bros.)California Skimin (James) McAvoy) Avengers: Infinity War (Marvel Studios) Avengers: Endgame (Marvel Studios) Princess Switch Trilogy (Netflix)

This is a more complex issue.

A concern whenever a major production takes over part of a city is whether the disruption will negatively impact local businesses.

When the Batgirl movie was canceled, Glasgow City Council told the Daily Record that the film still brought “huge economic benefit” to the city as a whole.

However, businesses in the area where the filming took place were less convinced and told the BBC at the time that trade was adversely affected.

Social Recruise clothing store in King Street, Trongate, received £1,000 in compensation after having to close for 10 days due to filming, but staff have been told they have suffered a “wasted month”. He said it wasn’t something to make up for.

In other productions, such as the Indiana Jones and Running Man remakes, large areas of Glasgow have been altered, with streets and roads closed off, with no real benefit to those directly affected. The question arises as to whether there is.

Dr Ewelina Rucka, from the University of Edinburgh Business School, told BBC Scotland News there were “mixed views” on the economic benefits of film in Scotland, particularly in relation to tourism.

She explained: “It is important not only that films are produced there, but also that certain conditions are met, mainly related to the management and marketing of the destination.

“This highlights the importance of something like Visit Scotland to implement a marketing strategy before and after the shoot.”

The clearest example of a film or TV show giving Scotland a boost is the hugely popular TV show Outlander, based on the book by American author Diana Gabaldon.

Several companies now offer Outlander tours that visit locations used in the long-running series across Scotland.

Dr Rucka said: “It’s a diversionary effect; people plan trips or work on set as part of a broader visit.”

Taran agreed, saying: “Outlander has had an incredible global reach and has undoubtedly had an impact on tourism in the locations where it was filmed.”

Screen Scotland believes the local film industry can benefit from visiting large-scale productions.

Ms Conway said this would provide trainees and Scottish crew members with “valuable experience” and help secure “sustainable careers” in the long term.

Taran agreed, saying that more experienced crew members could move on to larger productions, thereby giving smaller shoots “an opportunity for new blood to come in.”

Glasgow was recently the setting for The Running Man, based on the Stephen King book, and has already been made into an action film in the 1980s, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This time Glen Powell stars as a man forced to fight for survival on a ruthless game show set in Glasgow, a dystopian future city.

Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire are set in 18th-century Germany in Guillermo del Toro’s new version of streaming giant Netflix’s gothic horror Frankenstein.

Director Hellboy had an interesting experience while in Scotland. He posted on social media that he believed his hotel might be haunted.

New Sky drama Lockerbie: The Search for Truth aired in January and was filmed in Linlithgow.