Screen star status for Highland locations
RECORD-breaking interest in Highland filming locations shows no signs of abating with the TV and movie industry continuing to make hundreds of enquiries every year, a new report has revealed.
A report set to go before Highland Council today has confirmed that the local authority was inundated with enquiries in the last financial year – receiving no fewer than 243 separate requests.
And that level of interest has continued into the first quarter of the new business year.
In a report which will go before the environment, development and infrastructure committee this morning, Andy McCann, an economy and regeneration manager at the council, said: "Highland continues to be a popular area for the film and television industry to use for productions from commercials through to high end television documentaries or drama and big budget movies.
"[The year] 2017/18 was a record year with 243 film enquiries received and the first quarter of 2018/19 suggests similar levels of interest with 63 enquiries handled by the council's film unit – just one short of last year's figure."
He also added that tourist numbers in general have continued to be very strong across the whole of the Highlands.
Mr McCann said: "Full year reports for 2017 are still not available but as reported previously anecdotal evidence suggests it was a very busy year and early indications for 2018 are similar."
Business leaders in the strath have frequently hailed the impact of the area starring on both the big screen and the small screen in generating interest and visitors.
The area has become something of a leading star itself.
Two new blockbuster were partly shot in the area last Autumn – the Netflix headliner Outlaw King, starring heart-throb Chris Pine best known for playing James T Kirk in Star Trek and Steve Trevor in the Marvel hit Wonder Woman.
The historical action drama about Robert the Bruce is due for release in November.
Scenes were being shot last Autumn too for Mary Queen of Scots bringing together Broadchurch star and former Dr Who David Tennant and Suicide Squad's Harley Quinn actress Margot Robbie. It is due out early next year.
Most recently Bollywood came to Rothiemurchus by Aviemore. Huge TV hit Outlander used the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore and hills around Aviemore.
Other massive movies in which the strath has appeared include The Dark Knight Rises which used the Blackmill air field by Feshie Bridge with the stunning opening sequences shot in the local skies; The Crown, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Mrs Brown have all used picturesque Ardverikie Estate by Laggan while Centurion was shot in the Feshie Bridge area.
