X-Men star James McAvoy’s decision to film his upcoming hip-hop biopic on location in Dundee has helped contribute more than £4.6 million to Tayside and Fife’s economies.
Research into the benefits of filming for TV and movies in Tayside and Fife has found huge financial rewards for local business and industry.
More than 400 days worth of filming was carried out in 2023-24, Fife Screen and Tay Screen recorded.
This includes McAvoy’s directorial debut California Schemin’, which will tell the story of Dundee and Arbroath “rappers” Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd.
The pair fooled the music world in the early 2000s as Silibil N’ Brains, pretending they were American hip-hop stars when in fact they were two Tayside students.
And popular TV shows like Outlander — filmed in locations including Culross and Falkland — and Val McDermid’s Karen Pirie series have also massively contributed.
Film and TV millions for Tayside and Fife
Tay Screen is a partnership between Fife, Perth, Dundee and Angus councils which promotes the area as a filming and production destination.
In their annual report, they point out more than £2.3m has been spent in the last 12 months by productions directly in Courier Country.
This in turn generated a further economic impact of £4.6m.
Headed up by Julie Craik, Tay Screen promotes Tayside and Fife as a filming destination. It also advocates on behalf of local producers, directors and writers, and monitors the impact the industry has on economies and investment.
As well as contributing to direct spend, seeing Tayside and Fife on the big screen helps with tourism, Tay Screen reported.
Up to 40% of tourists visiting the country said they had been inspired to do so after seeing locations on film and television programmes.
California Schemin’
James McAvoy’s California Schemin’ film crew was spotted across Dundee in November.
The film is adapted from Gavin Bain’s 2010 book of the same name.
It follows the pair’s journey from being laughed out of an audition room to rubbing shoulders with Madonna and Eminem – before their elaborate hoax was finally found out.
The film will feature Seamus Mclean Ross, who will portray Bain in the film and Samuel Bottomley as Boyd.
Seamus, who is the son of Deacon Blue duo Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, is a graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
And the 23-year-old Yorkshireman Samuel first appeared in Paddy Considine’s film Tyrannosaur alongside Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.
Production crews shot scenes in the Hilltown – including inside the Hilltown Court multi, on Hilltown Terrace and Dudhope Street.
Scenes have also been filmed in the streets outside Tannadice Park, home of Dundee United.
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