It is an industry aiming to be worth £1 billion for the first time within the next five years.
But is Scotland’s screen sector heading in the right direction, is it being held back from realising its full potential, what will the Scottish films and TV shows of the near future look like?
Those are some of the questions which will be explored in The Herald’s latest impact series.
Read more:
- The Future of Scotland on Screen - all articles here and all you need to know
- BBC Scotland director wants new dramas to have global reach
- The Traitors is a success story despite row says BBC Scotland director
Throughout this week, we will be taking an in-depth look at the future of the screen industry at an intriguing, yet challenging, time for made-in-Scotland film and TV.
From the outside looking in, Scotland appears to be undergoing something of a screen renaissance.
Film productions have become a familiar sight on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The BBC has developed a slate of returning comedy and drama series set and filmed in Scotland, including Shetland, Vigil, Rebus, Granite Harbour, Only Child and Dinosaur.
The country is attracting some of the biggest players in the global entertainment industry to do business here, including Netflix, Amazon, Sky, Sony, Apple and HBO.
And a host of its leading on-screen stars have been given top billing in different shows going out across the UK and far beyond.
But behind the scenes and at grassroots level, it appears to be a different story.
There are widespread concerns about which productions are being commissioned and championed, whether home-grown companies and Scottish talents are being unfairly overlooked and the long-lasting impact of changes in audience viewing habits.
There have been huge controversies over the decision to bring the long-running Scottish soap opera River City to an end and how much work the hit reality show The Traitors is actually creating in Scotland, despite being filmed at a castle in the heart of the Highlands.
Our series will look at the dramatic changes in the Scottish industry five years on from the Covid pandemic, which brought screen production to a halt.
It will examine the impact of the major studios that have been created in the likes of Cumbernauld and Leith, their role in attracting shows like Outlander, The Rig and Dept Q, and where the next blockbuster production may be heading.
We will explore the scale and value of the Scottish screen industry, and recalling the productions that have made the biggest impact in recent years.
Our series will have the latest insights into the benefits of “screen tourism” and the productions which are inspiring visitors to book a trip to Scotland and keep coming back.
The series will feature insights from people involved at every level of the industry – from the key decision-makers within the Scottish Government, Screen Scotland, the BBC and STV to producers, writers, directors and actors.
We will also be highlighting some of the most intriguing-look shows and films being made and launched in the coming weeks and months.
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