Upsurge in Scottish production bucks UK trend

Despite the general slump in UK production, Scotland is currently enjoying an upsurge in film and television production.
Following critical acclaim and a raft of awards for 'The Magdalene Sisters', 'Morvern Callar' and 'Sweet Sixteen', Scotland was hailed as "the new hotbed for British filmmaking" at last month's BIFA awards.
Quality is also matched by quantity, as the industry is poised to achieve a record number of production starts in 2002.
Hero Films' £2.8m black comedy 'The Bums' Rush' starts filming on November 18. The feature debut of writer-director Stewart Svaasand, it stars Kevin McKidd, Jamie Sives and Iain Robertson in the story of a modern day gold rush in the Scottish Highlands. Momentum have UK rights, SF Norway hold the Nordic territories and Myriad Pictures have acquired all remaining world rights.
Momentum also hold the UK rights to 'Solid Air', the second feature from BAFTA-winning writer-director-editor May Miles Thomas, which is currently shooting in Glasgow. A digital feature, budgeted at under £1m, it places a complex father-son relationship against a high stakes industrial court case and stars Maurice Roeves, Brian McCardie and Gary Lewis.
Palm Tree Productions are filming 6th century adventure 'The Bone Hunter' with Michael E Rodgers.
Ideal World, makers of the acclaimed 'Late Night Shopping' (2001), began shooting the £3m television drama 'The Plan Man' with Robbie Coltrane in Glasgow on November 4.
Numerous other projects are waiting in the wings, including Noel Gay Motion Pictures' new version of family favourite 'Greyfriars Bobby', to be directed by John Henderson, Own Two Feet Productions adaptation of the Rosamunde Pilcher novel 'Winter Solstice' and the low-budget modern day passion play 'Mandancin.'
Lenny Crooks, Director of the Glasgow Film Office, which is a direct investor in Solid Air, said: "I think we've become very realistic about what is achievable in Scotland and also quite expert at making the £1m feature.
"This year we've also begun to see the results of the strategic alliances that Scottish filmmakers have been able to forge with sympathetic partners in Europe, notably Zentropa."
(GB)