Boxwish Blog

Wales: THE new movie location hotspot

Posted by Team Boxwish on 17 November 2008 at 01.45PM

Great by name and according to location scouts, great by nature. Yes, Britain is swiftly becoming a top destination for movie productions. During the summer, we reported how the Loch Ness and its surrounding area are luring film crews north of the border with the likes of The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep enjoying some Scottish hospitality and now they’ve fallen under the spell of Wales with the amount of money spent on film and TV in the country having quadrupled over the past five years. Much of this economic boost to the area is due to top BBC shows Doctor Who and Torchwood, but there have been films such as this year’s The Edge of Love that have helped put Wales on the movie map.

So, why has Wales become such a hotspot? According to producer Sally Hibbin who recently worked on Robert Carlyle drama I Know You Know filmed in Bridgend and Cardiff, the appeal is due to local organisations. “I think the support for Welsh organisations like the Film Agency for Wales, the Wales Creative IP Fund and even councils was fabulous,” says the BAFTA-award winner. “It wasn’t just in terms of funding either. We had an organisation called CIRIC helping us from Swansea Metropolitan University who are funded by Objective One money and they were fantastic. Bridgend council was wonderful in their support. They gave is free access to council land and things like free parking. They were extremely hospitable. I found there was a lot of people in Wales helping make the film happen.”

This commitment to making Wales a hub of entertainment is echoed by Pauline Burt, chief executive at the Film Agency for Wales. “Our focus at the Film Agency for Wales is very much on developing the great film making talent that we are so fortunate to have here in Wales. We work hard to identify and nurture writers, directors and producers while offering tangible support to education and exhibition initiatives throughout the principality.”

“A great deal of our work is not reflected in statistics or financial totals, but rather in the additional value that we look to bring through our collaborative approach and our methods of working, whereby we aim to facilitate the work of others, bringing about introductions, offering advice and pro-actively supporting the progress of all projects that we are involved with. It is this focus that attracts both international attention and investment.”

Look out Scotland – Wales is where it’s at now.

[via Wales Online]