Scotland Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Scotland? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Scotland
For an introduction to shooting in Scotland see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, fringes, premiums, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Scotland Film Locations
Scotland is known for its wild coastline, rugged green mountains, rolling hills with roaming sheep, lochs, glens, waterfalls, impressive castles, country estates, abbey ruins, whisky distilleries, museums, gardens, picturesque coastal villages, lighthouses, and vibrant cities.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce barley, wheat, potatoes, cattle and sheep. Timber is harvested. Scotland is a major exporter of Whisky. Fishing trawlers are available for filming. Industrial locations include offshore North Sea oil and gas facilities, as well as mines for coal, zinc, and iron ore. Energy locations include oil and gas fired plants, nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants, and wind powered plants.
Scotland’s Ministry of Defense also offers a variety of easily controlled locations including training ranges, barracks, radar stations, warehouses, a lighthouse, off-road driver training course as well as other remote and rugged landscapes.
Edinburgh and Glasgow are the main production centres and all needs to travel from there.
Scotland has hosted many productions including Andor (2022-), The Batman (2022), No Time to Die (2021), Fast & Furious 9 (2021), Game of Thrones (2011-2019), Succession (2018-), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), The Crown (2016-), Downton Abbey (2010-2015), Peaky Blinders (2013-), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Skyfall (2012), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), Prometheus (2012), Black Mirror (2011-), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Never Let Me Go (2010), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), The Queen (2006), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), Trainspotting (1996), Braveheart (1995), Chariots Of Fire (1981), to name a few.
Film locations can be divided into the following regions:
Strathclyde
This western region includes the council areas of Glasgow, Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland. A port city on the River Clyde, Glasgow is famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, regenerated industrial locations, museums, sporting venues, and gritty urban looks. Film locations of note include Glasgow Cathedral, City Chambers, Kelvin Hall, University of Glasgow, Mitchell Library, St Andrew’s in the Square, Paisley Abbey, Glasgow Science Centre, SEC Centre, Clydeside Distillery, The Lighthouse, Glasgow Central Station, Titan Crane, and Glasgow Botanic Gardens. Museums of note include Kelvingrove, Hunterian, People’s Palace, Gallery of Modern Art, Museum of Transport, Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, and Riverside Museum designed by Zaha Hadid. Sport venues of note include Emirates Arena, Glasgow National Hockey Centre, Celtic Park, Hampden Park, and Ibrox Stadium. The Batman (2022) filmed in Glasgow Necropolis Cemetery and Hartwood Psychiatric Hospital. Glasgow features throughout Trainspotting (1996). Peaky Blinders (2013-) filmed in Glasgow.
Argyll and Bute. Inveraray Castle located on the shore of Loch Fyne featured in Downton Abbey (2010-2015). Other castles of note include Mount Stuart House, Castle Stalker, Kilchurn Castle, Duart Castle, Gylen Castle, Dunstaffnage Castle, and Torosay Castle.
Isle of Mull, located in the Inner Hebrides, is known for its coastal scenery and picturesque villages. Tobermory is a colourful picturesque town. Iona Abbey is located on a the nearby island of Iona.
Portnahaven, and Oban are picturesque coastal towns.
Fingal’s Cave on the Isle of Staffa is an impressive film location in the Inner Hebrides.
Cruachan Reservoir featured in Andor (2022-).
Scotch whisky distilleries include Laphroaig Distillery, Ardbeg Distillery, Jura Distillery, Lagavulin Distillery, Bowmore Distillery, and Oban Distillery.
St Conan’s Kirk is located in the village of Loch Awe.
Inveraray is known for its black and white buildings, and Inveraray Jail which is a 19th-century prison and courthouse. The town hosted Black Mirror (2011-).
Lighthouses of note include Sanda Island Lighthouse, Davaar Lighthouse, Rinns of Islay Lighthouse, Toward Point Lighthouse, Rhuvaal Lighthouse, Dubh Artach Lighthouse, Skerryvore Lighthouse, Lismore Lighthouse, and Rubha nan Gall Lighthouse.
East Dunbartonshire. Mugdock Country Park is located near Glasgow.
West Dunbartonshire. Castles of note include Dumbarton Castle, Balloch Castle, and Overtoun House.
Auchentoshan distillery is located in Clydebank.
Loch Lomond is the largest loch in Scotland.
East Ayrshire. Castles of note include Dean Castle, Caprington Castle, and Dumfries House.
North Ayrshire. Brodick Castle is located on the Isle of Arran.
Kelburn Castle is a large house near Fairlie.
Lighthouses of note include Pladda Lighthouse, and Holy Isle Lighthouse.
South Ayrshire. Culzean Castle featured in The Queen (2006), and The Wicker Man (1973).
Blairquhan Castle featured in The Queen (2006).
Lighthouses of note include Ailsa Craig Lighthouse, Turnberry Lighthouse, and Lady Isle Lighthouse.
North Lanarkshire. M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park is an amusement park located in Motherwell.
South Lanarkshire. Chatelherault Country Park is a country park in Hamilton.
Inverclyde. Newark Castle is located in Port Glasgow.
Cloch lighthouse is located on the Firth of Clyde.
East Renfrewshire. Whitelee Wind Farm is located near Eaglesham.
Renfrewshire. Paisley is known for Paisley Town Hall, Paisley Thread Mill Museum, Cathedral Church of Saint Mirin, and Paisley Abbey.
Lothians
This eastern region includes the council areas of Edinburgh, West Lothian, Midlothian, and East Lothian.
Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. Known for its medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, Edinburgh is a great alternative to filming London which is more expensive and difficult to permit. Edinburgh film locations of note include Edinburgh Castle, National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scottish National Gallery, University of Edinburgh, Dean Village, Georgian townhouses, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, St Giles’ Cathedral, Holyrood Abbey, St Mary’s Cathedral, Bank of Scotland Head Office, National Library of Scotland, Scott Monument, Craigmillar Castle, Lauriston Castle, Lady Stair’s House, Surgeons’ Hall, Royal Yacht Britannia, Forth Bridge, Dynamic Earth science centre, Scottish Parliament Building, Calton Hill, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens, Holyrood Park, Portobello Beach, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, The Real Mary King’s Close, The Scotch Whisky Experience, and The Edinburgh Dungeon. Murrayfield Stadium is a Rugby stadium. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) filmed Cockburn Street, Royal Mile, and Edinburgh Waverly railway station. The Da Vinci Code (2006) filmed Rosslyn Chapel. Fast & Furious 9 (2021) filmed in part in Edinburgh. General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland was filmed for Chariots Of Fire (1981).
West Lothian. Castles of note include Linlithgow Palace, Dundas Castle, House of the Binns, Hopetoun House, and Midhope Castle.
Jupiter Artland is a contemporary sculpture park.
Midlothian. Rosslyn Chapel is located in Roslin.
Country houses of note include Arniston House, and Dalkeith Palace.
National Mining Museum Scotland is located in Newtongrange.
Midlothian Snowsports Centre is a dry ski slope.
Dalkeith Country Park is located in Midlothian.
East Lothian. Castles of note include Newhailes House, Winton House, and Tantallon Castle ruins.
National Museum of Flight is located near East Fortune.
North Berwick is a seaside town with a busy harbour.
Lighthouses of note include Barns Ness Lighthouse, Fidra Lighthouse, and Bass Rock Lighthouse.
Musselburgh Racecourse is a horse racing venue.
Torness Nuclear Power Station is located at Torness Point.
Dumfries and Galloway
This southwestern region includes the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. It is known for its rocky coastline, countryside, rolling hills and friendly towns.
Castles of note include Caerlaverock Castle, and Drumlanrig Castle.
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a unique physics-based garden.
Lighthouses of interest include Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, Little Ross lighthouse, Killantringan Lighthouse, and Corsewall Lighthouse.
The Wicker Man (1973) filmed in Dumfries and Galloway.
Scottish Borders
This southeastern region includes the council area of the Scottish Borders. The region is largely rural.
Castles of note include Thirlestane Castle, Manderston House, Mellerstain House, Abbotsford House, Floors Castle, Hermitage Castle, Traquair House, Duns Castle Estate, Neidpath Castle, Jedburgh Castle, Queen Mary’s House, Ayton Castle, and Paxton House.
Abbey ruins of note include Melrose Abbey, Jedburgh Abbey, Kelso Abbey, and Dryburgh Abbey.
St Abbs is a small fishing village in Berwickshire that doubled for Norway in Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
The Leaderfoot Viaduct is a railway viaduct over the River Tweed.
Central
This central region includes the council areas of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling, Fife, Angus, Dundee, Perth & Kinross.
Clackmannanshire. Castle Campbell is located in Dollar.
Falkirk. Falkirk Wheel connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. The canals connect Glasgow with Edinburgh.
Callendar House is located in Falkirk.
The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures.
Stirling. Stirling is known for Stirling Castle, and National Wallace Monument.
Doune Castle is a medieval stronghold that played Winterfell in the pilot episode of Game of Thrones (2011-2019), and featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).
Fife. St Andrews Old Course is the oldest golf course in the world. St Andrews is also known for St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, St Andrews Museum, and St Andrews Botanic Garden. University of St Andrews buildings include St Salvator’s Chapel, University Hall, Younger Hall, St Salvator’s Hall, Hamilton Hall, and Andrew Melville Hall designed by James Stirling. St Andrews was filmed for Never Let Me Go (2010), and Chariots Of Fire (1981).
Dunfermline is known for Dunfermline City Chambers, Dunfermline Abbey and Palace, and Abbot House.
Falkland Palace is located in Falkland.
Culross featured in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
Pittenweem, Anstruther, and Crail are picturesque coastal towns.
Lighthouses of note include Oxcars Lighthouse, Inchkeith Lighthouse, Isle of May Low Light, Elie Ness Lighthouse, and Isle of May Lighthouse.
Scottish Deer Centre has deer from around the world.
Angus. Glamis Castle was written of in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Lighthouses of note include Bell Rock Lighthouse, and Scurdie Ness Lighthouse.
Dundee. Dundee is a coastal city known for its regenerated waterfront, V&A Design Museum designed by Kengo Kuma, McManus Art Gallery & Museum, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Mills Observatory, and Broughty Castle. Succession (2018-) filmed in Dundee.
Perth & Kinross. Castles of note include Scone Palace, Blair Castle, Drummond Castle, and Castle Menzies.
Gleneagles Hotel is a beautiful film location.
Loch Leven featured in the film Braveheart (1995).
Grampian
This northeastern region includes the council areas of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray.
Aberdeen. Aberdeen is a port city known for its offshore oil industry and impressive granite buildings such as Marischal College and St Machar’s Cathedral. Other Aberdeen film locations of note include Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen Maritime Museum, King’s College Chapel, Provost Skene’s House, and Girdle Ness Lighthouse.
Aberdeenshire. Cairngorms National Park featured in The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Cairngorm Reindeer Herd is a free-ranging herd of tame reindeer found in the Cairngorm mountains.
Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, owned by Queen Elizabeth II.
Castle Fraser, located near Kemnay, featured in The Queen (2006). Other castles of note in Aberdeenshire include Crathes Castle, Craigievar Castle, Fyvie Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Drum Castle, Braemar Castle, Corgarff Castle, Kincardine Castle, Huntly Castle ruins, and Slains Castle ruins.
Duff House, Haddo House, and Mar Lodge Estate are stately homes.
Pennan, Stonehaven, and Gardenstown are pretty coastal villages.
Lighthouses of note include Buchan Ness Lighthouse, Rattray Head lighthouse, and Kinnaird Head Lighthouse.
Grampian Transport Museum is located in Alford.
Glenshee is a ski resort in Cairnwell.
Moray. Castles of note include Ballindalloch Castle, Brodie Castle, and Gordon Castle.
Distilleries of note include Glenlivet Distillery, Macallan Distillery, Glenfiddich Distillery, Benromach Distillery, Balvenie Distillery, and Cardhu Distillery.
Pluscarden Abbey is a beautiful film location.
Elgin Cathedral is a photogenic ruin located in Elgin.
Covesea Lighthouse is located in Moray.
Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural sea arch near Portknockie.
Highland & The Islands
This region includes the council areas of Highland, Western Isles, Shetland Islands, and Orkney Islands.
Highland. The Highland region is famous for its dramatic uniquely Scottish landscapes. The area is a favourite destination for everything from Bond films to high-fashion stills shoots.
Inverness is the largest city in Highland. Film locations of note include Inverness Cathedral, Victorian Market, Inverness Town House, and Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. Inverness Castle featured in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Inverness Airport featured in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Ardverikie House doubled for the Balmoral Estate in The Crown (2016-).
Eilean Donan Castle featured in Highlander (1986), and Entrapment (1999).
Urquhart Castle ruins are located on Loch Ness.
Dunrobin Castle is a French chateau-style castle.
Cawdor Castle is written of in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Castle of Mey is located in Caithness.
Fort George is located near Ardersier.
Ruthven Barracks ruins are located near Ruthven.
The Isle of Skye is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides. Portree is a picturesque town. Castles of note include Dunvegan Castle, and Armadale Castle. Talisker Beach is a beautiful beach. The Old Man of Storr and Quiraing are spectacular landscapes of craggy mountains, lakes, and green plateaus. Storr featured in Prometheus (2012), and Highlander (1986). Kilt Rock is a 90 metre cliff with Mealt Falls pouring into the ocean below. The Fairy Pools are an otherworldly location.
Other Highland waterfalls of note include the Falls of Measach, Falls of Foyers, and Rogie Falls.
Achmelvich Bay, and Coral Beach have white sands and turquoise waters.
Rannoch Moor featured in Prometheus (2012), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), and Highlander (1986).
Ben Nevis is the highest point in Scotland.
Glen Affric is know for its lochs, rugged mountains and native Scots pine, whisky distilleries and Mount Stuart stately home.
Glencoe, and Glen Etive featured in Skyfall (2012).
Glen Nevis featured in Braveheart (1995).
Glenfinnan Viaduct featured as the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).
Culloden Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the Highland Main Line.
Plockton, and Ullapool are picturesque coastal villages.
Inverie village is home to the Old Forge Pub.
Highland Folk Museum is located in Newtonmore.
Whisky distilleries of note include Talisker Distillery, Dalwhinnie Distillery, Singleton of Glen Ord, and Glenmorangie Distillery.
Lighthouses of note include Chanonry Lighthouse, Corran Point Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Hyskeir Lighthouse, Ornsay Lighthouse, Neist Point Lighthouse, Rua Reidh Lighthouse, Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, Stoer Head Lighthouse, Noss Head Lighthouse, Holburn Head Lighthouse, Cape Wrath Lighthouse, Dunnet Head Lighthouse, and Stroma Lighthouse.
Neptune’s Staircase is a staircase lock comprising eight locks on the Caledonian Canal.
Corrour railway station featured in Trainspotting (1996).
The oil rig graveyard of Cromarty Firth is a surreal sight.
Glen Nevis and West Highland Railway Line filmed in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001).
Fort William featured in Prometheus (2012), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), and Braveheart (1995).
No Time to Die (2021), and Braveheart (1995) filmed throughout the Scottish Highlands.
North Coast 500 is a 516-mile scenic road around the north coast of Scotland.
The Caledonian Canal connects the east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach.
Western Isles. The Western Isles, also known as the Outer Hebrides, offer remote islands and deserted beaches.
Luskentyre beach, Reef Beach, and Seilebost beach have white sands and turquoise waters.
Calanais Standing Stones are a Neolithic-era structure.
Hirta Island has a ghost town.
Gearrannan Blackhouse Village has traditional stone houses.
St Clement’s Church is a picturesque location in Rodel.
Kisimul Castle is located on a small island off of Castlebay.
Isle of Harris Gin Distillery, and Abhainn Dearg Whisky Distillery are located in the Western Isles.
Lighthouses of note include Barra Head Lighthouse, Old Monach Lighthouse, Eilean Glas Lighthouse, Tiumpan Head Lighthouse, Flannan Isles Lighthouse, and Butt of Lewis Lighthouse.
Shetland Islands. Shetland is an archipelago made up of more than 100 islands, located closer to Norway than Scotland. The islands are know for their viking history, rugged coastline, sea lochs, heather-clad moorlands, as well as wildlife including the Atlantic puffin and Shetland pony.
Shetland Museum and Archives is located on Lerwick.
Jarlshof is the best known prehistoric archaeological site.
South Lighthouse, Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, Bressay Lighthouse, Bound Skerry Lighthouse, Esha Ness Lighthouse, and Muckle Flugga Lighthouse.
Orkney Islands. Orkney is an archipelago of mostly flat, green-topped islands and spectacular sea cliffs.
The Old Man of Hoy is an impressive sea stack located in the Orkney archipelago.
Kirkwall is the largest town.
Archaeological sites of note include Maeshowe, Skara Brae, and the Tomb of the Eagles.
Lighthouses of note include Pentland Skerries High Light, Cantick Head Lighthouse, Hoy Sound High Light, Auskerry Lighthouse, Sule Skerry Lighthouse, Start Point Lighthouse, Noup Head Lighthouse, Dennis Head Old Beacon, and North Ronaldsay Lighthouse.
Scotland Film Location Permits
Scotland has an easy and streamlined permitting process. Local authorities all have dedicated film offices to get things processed efficiently and quickly. The following does apply though:
• Road closures require four weeks notice
• Parking units requires 5 days minimum notice
• Clearing a street of cars requires 14 days notice
Please contact us for location specific information.
Location permits are not required for small shoots that do no affect public movement. This includes shooting from a tripod. Permits are required for each location once you require exclusive use of public property including controlling traffic, setting up big lights or laying track.
When To Shoot?
Scotland is generally colder than the rest of the UK, especially in the more northerly regions. The west tends to be wetter and warmer than the cool, dry east. In Highland areas, snow is common in winter from December to March, and fog and mist may occur at any time of year. April to September is the best time to shoot with long daylight hours especially in the north where it stays light almost to midnight. September to March is wet and cold but is also the best time to photograph the Aurora Borealis. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• Burns Night Celebrations in January.
• Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow in January / February.
• Up Helly Aa takes place in the Shetland Islands in February.
• Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in April / May.
• The Dee, Tay and Spey Rivers are famed for producing big runs of spring salmon from June to August.
• Highland Games events and competitions take place across Scotland from May to September.
• The Royal Highland Show in June.
• The Open Golf Championship in July.
• The Cowal Highland Gathering in August.
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh in August.
• The Edinburgh International Festival in August is one of the largest arts festivals in the world.
• The Braemar Gathering in September.
• Edinburgh Hogmanay on the 31st December.
Many Scots are non-religious. Christianity is the largest religion, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Scotland.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Costs & Tax Incentives
Costs. Scotland is a relatively expensive place to shoot due to the high cost of locations, talent and crews. Scotland also trades in the Great Britain Pound. Any locations requiring travel outside of Glasgow or Edinburgh are an additional cost to filming. Our locally based fixers and service producers will negotiate deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget. See here for the current VAT rate.
Tax Incentives. Films that pass the cultural test or qualify as a co-production are eligible for 25% UK Film Tax Relief of the qualifying UK production spend. See here for more information.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Scotland has a small but good local pool of directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Scotland offers a good depth of experienced key crews. Day rates are flexible and hours are negotiable. It’s possible to use a mix of union and non-union crew. All crew need to come from Glasgow or Edinburgh. There is no crew base in the north of Scotland. If you need to look further, Scotland’s close proximity to London allows easy access to those technical and creative crews.
Contact us if you are looking for a Glasgow or Edinburgh based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Scotland.
Talent is both union and non-union. Buyouts are possible and costs are negotiable. Usage is generally based on a basic studio fee plus a percentage based on territories. Fees are usually worked out using the UseFee website. Actors union is Equity.
Scotland has three officially recognised languages: English, Scots, and Scottish Gaelic.
Most Scots are ethnically Scottish. There are also migrant communities from other European countries, South Asia, and Africa. Scotland’s close proximity to London allows easy access to that pool of talent should you ever need to look further.
Fringes. Crews are freelancers and pay their own taxes. Long-form projects must consider payroll and holiday pay. See the British Film Commission for more information.
Premiums. Shoot days in general are based on 10 hours with 1 hour lunch however there is room to agree longer working hours at a set fee. Overtime is paid at time and a half. After midnight overtime is charged at three times the hourly rate. Bank holidays are charged at double time unless prior agreement has been reached.
Full agreements can be found here:
Scotland Film Equipment
Equipment. Good depth and standard of locally available camera, grip and lighting equipment. Hire companies tend to be part of nationwide groups so it’s possible to source within any branch of their organization. There are also many smaller local providers including advanced drone systems for aerial filming. Some specialized equipment needs to be brought in from abroad. Phantom camera, Technocrane and tracking vehicle / low loader need to come from London or Manchester. For productions looking to bring in film equipment Scotland is an ATA carnet country.
Communication. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Art Department, Studios, Backlots, & Post Production
Art department and set construction is of a very high standard.
Studios and backlots. BBC Scotland has a studio in Glasgow and a backlot studio in Dumbarton. There are a number of mid-size studios as well as two water tanks. For major studios Pinewood, Shepperton and Warner Brothers are in London which is a 1 hour flight or 4 hour train journey from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Other studios of note include First Stage Studios, Pyramid Studios, and Studio Alba.
Post Production facilities are available in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Visas & Work Permits
Generally no permits are required for short-term filming. Crews travelling on US passports can enter visa-free for stays of up to 6 months. Long-term filming needs to be run by Creative Scotland and the British Film Commission. Contact your local British High Commission for more information.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Roads are up to expected European standards. Several international and budget airlines service flights to Scotland.
Accommodation. Contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland. For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Final Notes
Safety. Scotland is a very safe place for foreign productions to visit. See here for more information.
Down Time. Explore the Highlands.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Scotland, please see below:
Hire Scotland Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Scotland, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Scotland, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
