A SERIES of short films made by some of Scotland's leading actors during lockdown is to be made available to view on the BBC.
Scenes for Survival was created by the National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and broadcast on social media.
More than 34 films so far have been shot by stars including Alan Cumming, Mark Bonnar, Peter Mullan, Elaine C Smith and Brian Cox, in collaboration with leading writers and directors, working in their own spaces.
Initially showcased by the NTS and BBC on social media, the episodes have had more than eight million views.
Throughout August, 25 of the films will be released on BBC iPlayer, and a further selection will be shown on the BBC Scotland channel.
The first short film, a darkly comic drama titled 'Out of the Woods', starring Perthshire born Hollywood actor Cumming, will be available on the iPlayer from Monday.
The first part in a three-part series, the following episodes will be released on August 10 and 17.
Out of the Woods was shot by Cumming in woods near his home in the Catskills mountain range, in New York State, and produced in association with Dundee Rep Theatre.
Cumming said: "It seems weirdly inappropriate to say, but making Out of the Woods was a really fun experience.
"Great things come from adversity and I had a great time making this piece."
A three-part compilation of films from the project will broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel starting on Sunday August 16, while three longer individual films featuring Mark Bonnar, Elaine C. Smith and Peter Mullan will also be screened on the channel.
There will also be future screenings of films from Scenes for Survival on BBC Four and BBC ALBA.
The Scenes for Survival project will eventually showcase at least 50 of the artworks, with three new short films continuing to be released each week on the NTS and BBC social media channels.
BBC Scotland Commissioning Executive Gavin Smith said: ?Scenes for Survival has provided a vital lifeline for the Scottish theatre community and screen industry during the lockdown of the creative sector.
"It?s provided ongoing storytelling opportunities for both established names and emerging talent and we?re delighted it has been so well received.
?Restrictions are easing and as it happens, through BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer, we are opening up access to Scenes for Survival to the Scottish audience with more ways to view.?
Jackie Wylie, NTS Artistic Director, said: "The success of Scenes for Survival so far has been a testament to the extraordinary talent of Scottish theatre-makers.
"Their resilience and creativity in being able to create amazing theatre from their spaces of isolation over these last few months is incredible and inspiring.
"Responsiveness is one of the key strengths of theatre as an art form, and these stories have helped us understand the times we are living through and how to collectively imagine what the future might be.
"We are delighted that a selection of the films will be able to reach new audiences through this broadcast partnership with the BBC.
"We hope that these Scenes for Survival continue to bring some joy, shared community, and solace to audiences watching across Scotland and beyond."
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