A fund to incentivise film production in Scotland has generated £17.5m for the economy returning £10 for every pound spent, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop confirmed this week.
The Production Growth Fund, a combination of Scottish Government and National Lottery Funding administered by Creative Scotland, provides an incentive for major film and TV producers to base their work in Scotland. T2: Trainspotting, Churchill and The Loch were among the first productions to benefit.
Responding to Creative Scotland figures that underline the impact of the first £1.75m awarded, Ms Hyslop confirmed the Scottish Government will allocate an additional £250k to the Production Growth Fund, taking its total to £3.25m.
At a summit of screen industry representatives gathered to mark the opening of the 71st annual Edinburgh International Film Festival, Ms Hyslop said: “Film and TV producers spent a record £53m shooting in Scotland in 2015, an increase of £30m in the last ten years.
“One crucial initiative that has attracted major productions to base themselves in Scotland has been the Production Growth Fund, of which £1.75m had been awarded at the end of March. These awards have resulted in a spend in the Scottish economy of £17.5m, more than ten times the value of the awards granted.
“The fund has underpinned strong demand for our crew and our services, cemented trust in the excellence of our work and strengthened Scotland’s reputation as a base for big budget productions. It is attracting major productions to showcase Scotland and our breathtaking locations to audiences around the world, with clear knock on benefits for our tourism sector.
“This is great news both for our screen industry and Scotland’s wider economy.”
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