Credit: Adriana Iuliano
Writer
In the last five years Glasgow Film office has brought £71 million to the city as Glasgow builds a reputation as a film-friendly city
A recent report published by Glasgow City Council has noted that the production of film and television in Glasgow brought over £15 million to the city in 2017.
According to the council, this contribution can be largely credited to the work of the Glasgow Film Office (GFO). In the 21 years since its founding, the Glasgow Film Office is reported to have created £300 million worth of economic activity. With the intent of promoting Glasgow as a location for shootings and the aim of creating the image of a film-friendly city, it has been reported as playing a crucial role as a “One-Stop-Shop” for productions set in Glasgow.
The GFO’s contribution to the city’s economy is best illustrated by the wide range of different productions it has helped create in recent years: from TV series and national movies to big-budget international movies, such as World War Z, starring actor Brad Pitt.
In recent years Glasgow has increasingly gained a standout reputation for film production. As David Brown, the producer of Outlander, stated: “The principal reason for coming to Glasgow is the welcome that the city gives to filmmakers”. The most recent example is the filming of scenes of the BBC One drama The Cry in Glasgow, that first aired last Sunday.
This month, the next instalment of the Fast & Furious series famous for its fast cars and spectacular stunts is set to start shooting at various locations around the city centre.
Councillor Greg Hepburn, Chair of the Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm Committee, said: “Glasgow has become a natural home for film and broadcast productions of all sizes in recent years, and this status is in no small way due to the efforts of the council’s Glasgow Film Office.
“It is fantastic to see major film and television productions continuing to come to the city, bringing millions of pounds into the local economy, and boosting the profile of Glasgow not only in the industry but to national and international audiences. We can look forward to more major productions coming to Glasgow.”
