Production Space in Scotland

[George Falconer]

The issue of increasing Scotland's production space has been a consistent one over the last decade. Supporters claim a range of benefits from such an initiative including more broadcast commissions, more inward investment film and television, greater skills levels, and increased economic value.

Detractors have claimed that there are higher priorities for public policy, and have been concerned about the sustainability of such an initiative.

Scottish Enterprise has worked closely with a broadcast and TV working group and has published a clear overview of the potential requirement for additional film/television production space in Scotland and any benefits which may be derived from additional space.

David Strachan, Chair of the Broadcast and TV Working Group:
"There is a unique window of opportunity to grow the scale and ambition of Scotland's screen industries over the next five years. It is driven by broadcaster determination to rebalance the sourcing of production across the whole of the UK, which is bringing much wanted new work to Scotland. But that growth will create an industry which will be more able to deliver internationally.

There has for at least a decade been debate as to whether or not increased production space was required in order to facilitate growth in high value film and TV genres, and a rigorous assessment of options and potential was clearly needed as part of a wider strategy to grow the industry as a whole. The TV working group set up by in 2009 asked Scottish Enterprise to commission an investigation, and this report is the result."

The report can be downloaded from here:
http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/your-sector/digital-markets/news...