Lights, camera, action in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire!
8 December 2016
It’s no wonder that location managers, producers and directors are queueing up to film in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Aberdeenshire stretches from “one of the last great places on earth” (the Cairngorms) to “one of the world’s top-rated coastlines”. So says National Geographic. And The Scotsman (one of Scotland’s national newspapers) calls its city of Aberdeen – where ships dock right up against the city-centre streets and dolphins leap in the busy North Sea harbour – “one of the most architecturally distinctive in Europe”. It’s a place of big skies and wide horizons, loved for its fresh clear air and the quality of its light. You could call this True Scotland.
Pennan on the Banffshire Coast is perhaps our most famous location starring in 1980’s cult movie Local Hero. “The Northern sky is a beautiful thing” says Burt Lancaster one of the stars of the film. And it’s true enough. In Summer, the light up here is special, days are near endless, sunsets can light up the sea and last for hours. Winter skies are dark and starry and – with a bit of luck – you might even see the Northern Lights. No visit to Pennan can be complete without a selfie opportunity in the famous red, traditional phone box and yes, the phone still works!
The book ‘Sunset Song’ by Lewis Grassic Gibbon was recently made into a movie with some scenes filmed on the Glen Tanar Estate in Royal Deeside. Situated in a beautiful glen at the heart of Royal Deeside and within the spectacular Cairngorms National Park, Glen Tanar Estate offers some of Scotland's most stunning scenery.
Dunnottar Castle near Stonehaven is said to be part inspiration for the animators of Disney-Pixar’s ‘Brave’ where Merida’s castle has a similar clifftop location. Dunnottar also played host to Mel Gibson as ‘Hamlet’ in the 1990 movie.
Scottish author Iain Bank’s book called ‘Stonemouth’ was adapted into a 2 part drama shown on BBC TV in 2015 which was filmed in part in and around the harbour town of Macduff. The gritty drama was set against the backdrop of Macduff and a fictional suspension bridge which however hard you look, you won’t find in real life!
Currently awaiting a release date is the remake of ‘Whisky Galore’ filmed in Portsoy during summer 2015. The remake showcases the 17th Century Portsoy Harbour providing an authentic backdrop to the move starring Gregor Fisher and Eddie Izzard.
Bang up to date, Aberdeenshire has recently been seen on the popular BBC1 ‘Countryfile’ where several of the presenters visited Aberdeenshire and filmed features at Macduff Marine Aquarium and Crovie. Countryfile producers said of Aberdeenshire that from “the solitude of the rugged north coast to the deep dark forests where wildcats dwell, it's a surprising county”.
So come and visit, stand where your favourite actor has stood, re-enact your favourite film scene and who knows you may just see the next big tv show or movie being filmed in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire!