Edinburgh Film Focus launches new website

A new online initiative to entice film productions to Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders was launched on Tuesday February 8, 2005.
Edinburgh Film Focus, the region's film office, has developed www.edinfilm.com in conjunction with web company Screenbase in order to persuade location scouts and producers that the area has just what they are looking for their next production. The aim is to attract their big budgets to be spent in the local economy on locations, accommodation, crew and services.
Production Liaison Manager for Edinburgh Film Focus, Ros Davis, said: "Our goal is economic development by encouraging inward spend from film and TV production.
Producers frequently comment on how beautiful they find the area; how enjoyable and straightforward it is to film here and how helpful the Film Office, local authorities and local people are. We want more productions to know this. The new website will help us get this message out to UK and international producers and location managers."
Davis continued: “Film Focus has talked to location managers and producers about their requirements and we are confident that the new site fits the bill. Websites are now the major marketing tool and nothing sells locations better than lots of photos.”
More than 7000 images will be available for on-line searching.
In addition to photos, the new site will be a one-stop resource for information on funding, training, crew, facilities and news updates.
Chair of Edinburgh Film Focus’s Board, Dougie Kerr, said: “This new website will strengthen our region's competitive positioning as a potential film location and build on the successes of 2004 such as 'The Jacket', 'Man to Man', 'Greyfriar's Bobby', 'Shoebox Zoo', 'North and South' and 'Quite Ugly One Morning'. Producers will now have invaluable information at their fingertips.
"The profile and economic benefit brought to the region through filming is substantial and it is therefore important that Film Focus continue to work hard to increase our market share. I'm sure this website will prove to be a really useful resource which the film industry will find invaluable."
(GB)