Filming in Edinburgh generates £16m
Filming in the city region of Edinburgh generated £16.1m for the local economy in 2017 – an increase of 109% on the previous year – according to figures released by Film Edinburgh.
It is thought that a major contributor to the significant spike was such as Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War.
The feature spent seven weeks shooting on location in the Scottish capital last summer, after a year of liaising between Film Edinburgh and the studio executives.
Joe Russo, director of Avengers: Infinity War, said during filming last year: “When Edinburgh came up as a location option we jumped at the chance. The city is such a unique and iconic location, but one never seen as the backdrop for a big action film.”
Other features to have filmed in the Edinburgh area during the 12 months include Mary Queen of Scots from director Josie Rourke and Working Title, and Netflix’s Outlaw King, a feature film about Robert the Bruce directed by David Mackenzie.
TV dramas also boosted the region’s film-friendly profile with productions such as Trust Me, Liar and Outlander all showcasing Edinburgh locations.
With a total of 1,068 days of filming, there were 348 productions made in the city in 2017, including 11 feature films, seven TV dramas, 88 factual shows and 24 commercials.
Councillor Gavin Barrie, Edinburgh’s economy convener, said: “Our cobbled streets, historic properties and stunning green spaces have set the scene for some of cinema’s greatest superheroes over the last year thanks to a citywide effort to secure such A-list productions.
“We know 40% of visitors to the UK are attracted to places they have seen on screen and the Marvel franchise will promote Edinburgh to audiences all over the world.”
Scarlett Johansson photo via Walt Disney Entertainment/Marvel Studios.
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