Scotland Production Resources

[Matt Irwin]

I'm currently in the UK on a scouting trip for an independent feature (as DP) that is set in and shooting in a town outside of Glasgow. Production is scheduled for next summer. I was hoping to get some locals' input....

 

What sort of production facilities and rental houses are available in Scotland and/or Glasgow? Sound stages? Post facilities/labs?

 

Where do low-to-mid budget narrative features go for gear when shooting in Scotland? Do the big lights come from England? I've tooled around on FilmBang, saw a lot of broadcast-oriented rental places but not much that seems to cater to narrative. Am I off?

 

I'll be in the area for two weeks starting on the 20th of this month. Anyone in camera/grip/electric/rental want to meet for lunch or a pint pending our scouting schedule? We will be hiring mostly local... would be good to acquainted.

[John Holland]

Hello Matt i think you will find that big lights would have to come from London , Lee Electric used to have a Glasgow branch but they have been engulfed by Panavision so dont know if that is still open now . Pretty sure no labs there . have you tried www. glasgowfilm.org.uk ? Good luck , john . Edit . Panalux . still have a branch in Glasgow .

[Matt Irwin]

Hello Matt i think you will find that big lights would have to come from London , Lee Electric used to have a Glasgow branch but they have been engulfed by Panavision so dont know if that is still open now . Pretty sure no labs there . have you tried www. glasgowfilm.org.uk ? Good luck , john . Edit . Panalux . still have a branch in Glasgow .

 

 

Many thanks John,

I've sent an email to Panalux Glasgow, maybe have a visit in order. I'll have a look at glosgowfilm as well today.

 

 

Still, any Glasgow or Edinburgh local crew care to meet in the next to weeks? Nothing official, just a meetup.

[Freya Black]

Hello Matt i think you will find that big lights would have to come from London , Lee Electric used to have a Glasgow branch but they have been engulfed by Panavision so dont know if that is still open now . Pretty sure no labs there . have you tried www. glasgowfilm.org.uk ? Good luck , john . Edit . Panalux . still have a branch in Glasgow .

 

 

John is right, no labs in scotland, I was in Filmlab north recently and they mentioned getting quite a bit of work from Scotland. In fact AFAIK filmlab north might be the only lab outside London these days?

 

As far as soundstages, you might find something on the pacific quay development where the BBC and STV are based. I know STV have been doing very badly lately so may have free studio time. Obviously this is all very much TV based as we havn't had a film industry really for a loooooong time and what there is of it is based around London.

 

In fact if you are using soundstages you might find it easier to shoot those parts either down in London or somewhere else in England. Nobody knows where a soundstage is really. :)

 

On a similar note, there may be some facilities companies based on the pacific quay site of some kind.

 

Hope that helps! :)

 

love

 

Freya

[Matt Irwin]

Many thanks Freya, all good info. I've got some meetings this week with a few rental houses, and we've got lots of scouting planned. I'll definitely look into the pacific quay area. Isn't that where FilmCity is?

 

Man, this country is gorgeous. Minus the neds of course. ;)

[Andy_Alderslade]

Many thanks Freya, all good info. I've got some meetings this week with a few rental houses, and we've got lots of scouting planned. I'll definitely look into the pacific quay area. Isn't that where FilmCity is?

 

Man, this country is gorgeous. Minus the neds of course. ;)

 

I've occasionally driven a camera car (long based-van really!) to Glasgow for the london based Aimimage camera company. They tend to supply MTP which is Glasgow's biggest production company.

 

They seem to use P.K.E. lighting, which is based in Manchester (I believe.) Panavision has a branch in Glasgow I believe.

 

There definitely is studio space there, plus loads of enormous warehouses as well. I remember one next to a small sound stage (in Westway Business Park) being set up as a woodland, in a scale to rival Pinewood!

[Tim O'Connor]

John is right, no labs in scotland, I was in Filmlab north recently and they mentioned getting quite a bit of work from Scotland. In fact AFAIK filmlab north might be the only lab outside London these days?

 

As far as soundstages, you might find something on the pacific quay development where the BBC and STV are based. I know STV have been doing very badly lately so may have free studio time. Obviously this is all very much TV based as we havn't had a film industry really for a loooooong time and what there is of it is based around London.

 

In fact if you are using soundstages you might find it easier to shoot those parts either down in London or somewhere else in England. Nobody knows where a soundstage is really. :)

 

On a similar note, there may be some facilities companies based on the pacific quay site of some kind.

 

Hope that helps! :)

 

love

 

Freya

 

 

Matt, that sounds like a great gig. Congratulations.

 

If I may go a bit off thread here, Freya or anybody do you know what happened to Bill Forsythe? He seemed to put Scottish films on the map in the early

80s. I thought that there would have been a ton more films from him. He made some, sure, but I haven't heard anything about him in a long time.

 

"Local Hero" is a great movie.