Councillors today approved a plan that will enhance Argyll and Bute’s accessibility and appeal as a location for filming.
With recent productions such as Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and upcoming big screen movie Love Me To Death having been filmed in Argyll and Bute, the spotlight is on the area as a desirable location for film crews from around the world.
And the Policy and Resources Committee agreed at today’s meeting to introduce a Film Location Charging Schedule for filming on council-owned locations. The new charging schedule will streamline the process of providing the film industry a flexible range of options for film productions using council assets.
The new structured and transparent process will also ensure the council is providing a fair approach to charging, avoiding uncertainty and delay with enquiries. The charging model is negotiable, with the charges representing a percentage of the production’s estimated daily local spend in Argyll and Bute. This would ensure smaller productions are not unduly impacted.
Councillor Aileen Morton, Policy Lead for Economic Development, said: “Clearly Argyll and Bute is very popular with film crews from very small productions all the way up to films that will be seen on the big screen around the world. To make us competitive with other leading industry bodies in the public and private sector, we have agreed to introduce a sensible charging schedule that ensures we are making the most of our assets for the good of our residents, as well as making sure we remain an attractive location for filming.
“Argyll and Bute’s stunning natural landscape is one of our biggest assets. I’m delighted that studios are making the most of all it has to offer as the ideal set for all sorts of film productions, and this new process will provide clarity and a more streamlined approach.”
The charging schedule will be reviewed every year as part of the annual budget process.