Filming Locations

West Lothian supports the work of Edinburgh Film Focus, the local Film Commission for Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders with a remit to market and promote the area to film production companies working on feature films, short films, TV drama, commercials, corporates, documentaries, pop promos and stills.

  

West Lothian enjoys both economic and positive media coverage through attracting activity of this kind, An exciting new action movie featuring Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell was filmed at West Lothian’s Blackness Castle in 2007. Located near Linlithgow, the castle was used to shoot several crucial scenes for this futuristic film entitled Doomsday. Set in the present day, the film plot focuses on a killer plague called the Reaper Virus, which wipes out hundreds of thousands of British citizens. Historic Scotland worked closely with the crew, and the castle was closed to the public for a fortnight during filming.

 

Blackness Castle was built back in the 15th Century by one of Scotland's most powerful families, the Crichtons, and once operated as a garrison fortress and state prison. This project is another opportunity for West Lothian to tap into the current trend known as set jetting, which sees tourists visiting locations where their favourite movies have been filmed.

 

Hollywood 'A' Lister Scarlett Johansson is now confirmed to play Mary, Queen of Scots in the new movie about the tragic monarch who was born at the Linlithgow Palace. West Lothian Council has recognised the unique opportunity that this presents to the area and is planning to invite the production company to film at the birthplace of Mary Stuart. With Scarlett Johansson taking part this takes West Lothian's involvement with movie sets into the elite category!

 

The feature film The Jacket, released in the US in March 2005, shot for 35 days at Bangour Hospital with West Lothian benefiting from heightened media interest and excellent press coverage. ‘

 

The whole experience has been delightful. The people of West Lothian and Scotland made us feel really welcome. The crew and locations available are great.’

Peter Strauss, Executive Producer of The Jacket.

 

Four other production companies have since shown an interest in using the hospital, including the Scottish Television drama The Missing which completed shooting there in December 2004.

 

Recent productions which were filmed in West Lothian include: 

• The Jacket - Feature Film (Mandalay Pictures / Section / VIP)
• Mary Queen of Scots - TV Documentary (Media Nation for Japanese TV)
• Scottish Executive - Promo CD-rom (MTP)
• Women in Black - TV Documentary (Skyline / This Scotland)
• Scottish Water - Corporate (Muckle Hen Productions)
• Media TV - TV Documentary
• Bergdorff Goodman (New York) - Fashion Stills (Shake Productions)
• Waste Aware-Recycling - Commercial (Plum Films)
• The House of God - TV Documentary (BBC Scotland)
• The Missing - TV Drama (SMG)
• Robert Louis Stevenson - TV Documentary (BBC)
• Desperate Housewives - TV Documentary (Nobles Gate)  

 

Locations

Linlithgow Palace, Torphichen Preceptory, Harburn House and Hopetoun House for ShoeBox Zoo were among locations used. In addition, filming took place in private houses in Bathgate and Linlithgow and Bergdorff Goodman used moorland near Harperrig Reservoir.

 

Economic Benefits

Edinburgh Film Focus estimated that 19 jobs within the media sector were safeguarded in West Lothian due to filming activity last year and that the overall economic benefit to the West Lothian economy from filming, crew and facilities based in the area totalled £400,875.  Edinburgh Film Focus can assist film production companies with location research, scouting and photography of new locations. They also liaise with location owners, service providers and others to ensure a ‘film-friendly’ and welcoming environment.