Film and TV stars flock to put Capital in the picture

New figures have revealed that a string of big-name films, TV programmes and adverts have helped bring in more than 4 million in the 2009-10 financial year.

The productions, which have included the box-office hit Burke and Hare, starring Simon Pegg, and the BBC drama Single Father, featuring David Tennant, have seen images of the Capital beamed around the globe.

A total of 349 different productions took place at city locations, with the direct spend from the filming totalling 4.2m, compared to 2.7m in 2008-9.

City leaders are confident that the figures will continue to grow in the coming years.

Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "The creative industries are very important to the city's economy. We have a very good brand, people relate to Edinburgh and film-makers want to be here.

"If you get a production with a worldwide audience then that is your city being marketed for free. How many times have you seen a place on TV or in a film and thought you would like to visit it?

"We have created Creative Edinburgh because we think there is huge growth potential from the creative sector."

The data on the economic impact of the film and TV industry was compiled by Edinburgh Film Focus (EFF), which was set up in 1990 as an intermediary between city organisations and film-makers.

Since last year, council officials have been working with EFF. A 'champions group' of council officials has been set up and the group has drawn up a new set of protocols for handling filming in the city.

Business leaders say that the real economic impact of filming in Edinburgh will be much higher than the 4.2m direct spend because the city is being promoted to a wide audience when it features on films or TV programmes.

Graham Birse, managing director of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "This particular industry is on the up, in marked contrast to the situation five years ago when a young person trying to get into the industry was told it is London or nothing.

"There have been a few false starts in the past on things like a Scottish Film Institute but this is a sector that can continue to grow."

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Among the productions filmed in Edinburgh in 2009-10 were . . .

• Burke & Hare: Black comedy about the 19th century grave robbers, starring Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis and Isla Fisher.

• The Awakening: Film set in the 1920s with Dominic West, the star of cult TV show The Wire.

• One Day: Film starring Anne Hathaway as an Edinburgh University graduate, due to be released early next year.

• Mausam: Bollywood film due for release next summer, featuring renowned actor Shahid Kapoor.

• Single Father: BBC TV drama starring David Tennant, filmed in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

• Case Histories: TV drama due to be aired in 2011 featuring English actor Jason Isaacs. n This September: TV drama filmed in Oxford and Edinburgh.

• Compare The Market: Price comparison website advert filmed in Stockbridge.

• John Lewis: Latest advert features images of Edinburgh.