ARTS bosses have said they are “very close” to putting forward a business case to ministers for a new film studio in Scotland.
Iain Munro, deputy chief executive of Creative Scotland, said getting a new studio was a top priority as it could be key in transforming the country’s film industry.
The base would be separate from Wardpark Studio in Cumbernauld, where the TV series Outlander is filmed, and the proposed Pentland Studios in Straiton near Edinburgh, which were granted planning permission last year.
Munro said: “I can’t say any more about it because clearly there are business sensitivities and commercial considerations there, but we are very close to making that case to get agreement to move forward.”
He revealed the possible new development to MSPs on Holyrood’s Culture Committee, who came under fire for publishing a critical report on efforts to boost the screen sector at a potentially “disruptive” time.
In an interim report earlier this month the committee said there was “no guarantee” that Scottish Government-backed plans to establish a screen unit within the existing arts body Creative Scotland would deliver the transformation required.
Instead they demanded a separate new agency be set up to boost film and TV production work in Scotland, saying this could help the country benefit from the billions of pounds being spent by companies such as Amazon and Netflix.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the report had been made public “right in the middle” of the recruitment process for the screen unit. She said: “I don’t think it was the intention of the committee, but my genuine concern is that there shouldn’t be any disruption or delay or derailing. Because your report appeared right in the middle of our recruitment process.”
Committee convener Joan McAlpine said: “We don’t have three to five years to wait and see what happens...Scotland has an incredible opportunity...and if we don’t get it right now we will miss the boat.”
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