Film & TV Studios - Spotlight on Scotland
The industry has witnessed a steady rise in inward investment as more and more global productions choose Scotland as a location for filming.
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Scotland as a filming destination for international film & TV content benefits from indigenous natural landscape and scenery, a strong creative sector, competitive tax credits and a world-class talent pool.
The growth in the film industry in Scotland has typically been hindered by a shortage of bespoke studio space. Attempts and plans to develop purpose-built studios in Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh, have been challenged for decades by obstacles such as a lack of funding and land ownership.
Repurposing space
The recent rise in development activity and conversions is now providing a boost to the nation and is driving the vision for Scotland as being a standout location for large productions.
Scotland now makes up approximately 15% of the UK’s regional stage space (units >5,000 sq ft), owing to the growing range of re-purposed assets and studio conversion opportunities designed to accommodate major feature film and high-end television productions.
A former warehouse and whisky distillery are being converted into Scotland’s newest and soon-to-be largest film studio; Pioneer Film Studios, Stepps, Glasgow. The campus opened its doors recently and on completion of works will provide up to 130,000 sq ft of stage space, as well as supporting workshop spaces and yard space.
Expanding and repurposing studio space
For many years, Glasgow’s largest purpose-built film studio campus was Wardpark Film and TV studios in Cumbernauld, north east of Glasgow. The 14-acre campus includes five sound stages totalling 53,000 sq ft, production offices, workshops, an external green screen area, and parking.
The studio is used by the US cable TV network Starz and is home to the production of all six series of the TV show, Outlander.
Wardpark Studios, supported by the Scottish Government's aim to encourage the screen industry to increase filming within Scotland, was bought in 2021 by Hackman Capital Partners and partner Square Mile Capital Management as their first venture in Scotland, following two studio purchases by the partnership in Ireland.
Further planning applications are in motion, including a potential 44-acre, zero-carbon campus - Edinburgh Caledonian Film Studios at Gartcosh, Glasgow. Plans for this campus include up to 305,000 sq ft of stage space, 168,000 sq ft of workshop space and 10,000 sq ft of production offices.
Screen Scotland provided funding towards the development of FirstStage Studios as part of their commitment to the expansion of film and TV production in Scotland. Screen Scotland is part of Creative Scotland and delivers services and support through a variety of funding options for production companies.
Screen Scotland also supports the development of screen talent and a skilled and diverse workforce in Scotland.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.
Stock of Film Studios, Scotland (>5,000 sq ft)
Edinburgh studio growth
Also in the Edinburgh region, Pyramids Business Park in Bathgate has been redeveloped into a platform for film and TV production, having previously been occupied by Motorola as a manufacturing base.
Pyramids Studios, acquired by London and Regional in 2021, has already seen productions such as the second season of Good Omens, Trainspotting T2 and Outlaw King, following deals agreed with BBC, Amazon and Netflix.
The opening of new studios in the Central Belt, particularly in Edinburgh city and its surrounding areas, brings increased opportunities for employment in its supporting industries.
According to Film Edinburgh, the Edinburgh city region is home to a quarter of Scotland's production personnel, with its highly skilled crew base often typically required to travel far for work due to the limited employment options available in studios locally.
To take advantage of both the picturesque rural as well as urban locations around East Lothian and the Scottish border opens new avenues for both the local economy and more importantly, for new talent coming out of Edinburgh’s colleges and universities who can build on their skillset locally from the ground up.