Glasgow - It has exported some of the world’s most successful stars and film-makers. Now Scotland is attracting record numbers of actors, directors and studios from across the globe and its streets are doubling for settings as diverse as hippie San Francisco and war-torn Philadelphia.
As the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood does its best to entice Hollywood, the number of films shot there has almost doubled over the past five years as A-list performers such as Brad Pitt and Scarlett Johansson have been lured to the homeland of Gerard Butler and James McAvoy.
Claire Mundell, chairwoman of Bafta Scotland and producer at Glasgow’s Synchronicity Films, partly attributed the boom to the “welcoming” nature of Scotland’s cities. “We have slightly different stories to tell, and a specific culture, that can offer a bit of diversity within the worldwide market,” she said. “But we are not interested in showing ourselves as a place that can only serve one type of culture. Some films just happen to be made here, big commercial films.”
Here’s a look at some of the biggest recent films shot in Scotland.
The Fast and the Furious 6
The high-thrills road-racing franchise, starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Paul Walker. Scenes have been shot this year on the streets of central Glasgow.
The Angel’s Share
Ken Loach’s film made with screenwriter Paul Laverty. Scenes shot in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan’s third Batman movie was shot partly in the Highlands, reportedly generating £1.1m for the local economy.
Prometheus
The sci-fi hit of the year stars Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender. Scenes were shot last year on the otherworldly Isle of Skye.
Under the Skin
Scarlett Johansson stars as an alien who roams the Highlands. Filming in 2012 spread out into other parts of Scotland.
Dark Shadows
Tim Burton’s horror comedy charts the life of vampire Barnabas Collins. Scenes shot on Isle of Mull.
Skyfall
The third Bond film starring Daniel Craig, was shot in Glencoe, Dalness Lodge and Rannoch Moor.
Cloud Atlas
The movie starring Halle Berry, based on David Mitchell’s best-selling novel of 2004, weaves together six stories from different times. Glasgow doubled for 1960s San Francisco. Scenes were also shot in Edinburgh.
World War Z
About 1 200 cast and crew were involved in the shooting of Brad Pitt’s zombie film in Glasgow last year. The city’s streets were turned into the war-torn ruins of Philadelphia.
Snow White and the Huntsman
Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the film stars Twilight’s Kristen Stewart and was shot in the Highlands and the Isle of Skye. – The Independent on Sunday