Steven Spielberg uses Scots locations for BFG film

STEVEN SPIELBERG has used Skye, the Outer Hebrides and Orkney as locations for giant country in his movie version of children’s book The BFG.

Steven Spielberg is directing a film version of The BFG. Picture: Getty

The Hollywood director, known for blockbusters including ET and Schindler’s List, is collaborating with Disney for the project, based on an original story by Roald Dahl.

Scenes were filmed at The Quiraing, The Storr and the Fairy Glen on Skye, as well as in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and the Highlands.

Shooting started in late June and continued for two weeks into early July.

Front cover of the Ronald Dahl classic.

Crews worked under the name Big Valley Productions and appear to have gone largely un-noticed.

Supervising location manager David Broder confirmed: “We filmed scenes for the BFG on Skye as plate shots to be part of our Giants Land.

“We also filmed on the Shiant islands and aerial work was filmed from a helicopter through the Highlands

“We also filmed at the Old Man of Hoy in the Orkneys.”

British actor Mark Rylance, 55, will star as the BFG alongside 10-year old newcomer Ruby Barnhill from Cheshire as Sophie.

Theatre actor Rylance has previously starred in The Other Boleyn Girl and Wolf Hall.

In the classic 1982 book, a little girl called Sophie makes friends with a Big Friendly Giant and helps to save Britain from being invaded by evil child-eating giants from another world.

The eccentric BFG calls himself the only nice and jumbly giant in Giant Country and embarrasses Sophie with his love of breaking wind, or whizz popping.

The Disney/Dreamworks collaboration it is now in post-production with the same digital effects company that worked on The Lord of The Rings and is set to be released next summer.

Whilst it had been reported that Spielberg had picked Scotland as a location, it was not widely known which sites were used or when filming took place.

Twitter user Chris Schrute wrote in July: “Is Steven Spielberg in Skye?”

Another user called Scott Thompson replied: “Possibly. They’re filming a new BFG movie at Kishorn that he’s directing.”

Schrute wrote back: “Holy s****, I need to meet the man that gave me Indiana Jones!”

Roald Dahl’s grandson Luke Kelly, managing director of the Roald Dahl literary estate, said: “We are so thrilled and excited at this collaboration between two storytelling giants - Roald Dahl and Steven Spielberg.”

Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager at VisitScotland, said: “In recent years Scotland has taken a starring role in many well known films.

“It’s fantastic to see that this trend is set to continue.”

Scotland has long been a favourite location for movie directors and has been used as a backdrop for films including James Bond movie Skyfall and Harry Potter in recent years.

The BGF is set to be released in the UK on 22nd July 2016.