Scotland is one of the UK’s leading centres for film and TV production, and a popular filming location due to its breathtaking landscapes. Many iconic films have made use of Scotland’s extraordinary sites, such as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) — the otherworldly rock formations around Loch Airigh stood in for Jupiter. The beautiful railway viaduct in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) was filmed in the Scottish Highlands. It has also played a prominent role in the James Bond films — Bond’s family home, Skyfall Lodge, is located in Glen Coe.
Other Film & HETV productions filmed in Scotland that our PGGB Members were involved in include: the sci-fi thriller Under the Skin (2013), starring Scarlett Johansson as a mysterious woman preying on lonely men, which was almost exclusively shot in Scotland; The Outrun (2024), starring Saoirse Ronan as Rona, a woman fresh out of rehab who returns to the wild beauty of Scotland's Orkney Islands where she grew up; and Scottish comedian Richard Gadd's autobiographical mini-series Baby Reindeer (2024), about his experiences with a female stalker, which was partially shot in Edinburgh.
Other productions filmed in Scotland with PGGB Members' involvement include: Prometheus (2012), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), the Harry Potter film series (2001-2011), The Batman (2022), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Skyfall (2012), T2: Trainspotting (2017), The Crown (2016-2023), Succession (2018-2023), Andor (2022), The Rig (2022), Good Omens (2019), and Outlander (2014), among others.
Scotland has seen significant growth in its local film and HETV production industry, thanks to PGGB partner organisations and associates, who have all contributed significantly to building a strong and thriving industry in Scotland.
Film & TV in Scotland in numbers
Recent figures show that an estimated £617.4 million was spent on the production of film, TV and other audiovisual content in Scotland in 2021, compared to £398.6 million in 2019 – an increase of 55%. The screen sector in Scotland provided over 10,940 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in 2021, up from 10,280 in 2019.