Are you a location or business that wants to work with film and TV production? Perhaps you already do. Join us online for our free morning event on Wednesday, 6th December at 10am. We’re excited to welcome:
- Tim Maskell, Scottish Location Services
- Mat Bett, Abertay University, Virtual Production
- Joshua Ryan-Saha, Director, Traveltech, Edinburgh Futures Institute
We’ll be hearing about media production which brings spending on locations and services and promotes the region, attracts tourism and boosts the regional economy. It’s also a chance to find out about the growing new trend of virtual production and what this means for locations. We will also hear about the Tay Cities Region Traveltech Challenge for tourism businesses to try out all kinds of technology to help with areas like getting staff and promotion.
Book now at Eventbrite/Screen Ready.
Production in Fife Tay
2022/23 was a great year for production in the Fife Tay region with economic impact of £5.4m. Our iconic, unique and diverse locations play a big role in attracting production. But none of it would be possible without the fabulous, film friendly reception ready to greet production by location owners and all the services from accommodation to technical.
Screen Ready is presented in collaboration with our Council partners, Dundee City, Fife and Perth & Kinross, and Visit Scotland.
Our speakers are:
Tim Maskell, Scottish Location Services
Tim is one of Scotland's most reputable and reliable Location Managers and dedicated director of Scottish Location Services. Tim began working in the industry in 2006 and during this time has worked on some noteworthy productions including feature films, TV dramas and adverts. These include Payback, Guilt, the BAFTA award winning Shetland series, BBC’s Clique, Agatha Christie - Ordeal by Innocence, The Etruscan Smile, Only you and more. Tim has extensive experience working across Scotland, particularly in both major cities; Edinburgh and Glasgow. He has mastered managing city centre closures which he has done for large productions such as Sunshine on Leith. In addition, he offers a great base of contacts and can easily secure any required permits and permissions to facilitate a shoot of any scale. Tim's positive approach, friendly character, hardworking attitude and extensive knowledge is what sets him apart from the crowd. Nothing phases him and that's what makes him so reliable. It is Tim’s experience in the industry that prompted him to set up Scottish Location Services in 2019 when he sought to create a multi-format location services company to improve the overall level of services available in Scotland.
https://www.scottishlocationservices.com
Matt Bett BSc MSc, Abertay University
Matt leads on the major CoSTAR Virtual Production project for Abertay University.
Matt is a highly experienced digital, games and screen engineer and practitioner. He applies these technologies to diverse industries including virtual production. He is currently working at the cutting edge of hardware and visualisation with the games, film and special effects industry. Abertay is the preferred bidder in Scotland for the UK Government CoSTAR programme of four Virtual Production labs and production studios in the UK. Uniquely in the programme, Abertay is also a partner with programme lead, Royal Holloway University of London working with Pinewood Studios. Matt created one of the first Virtual Camera solutions for the film industry in 2011 and now Abertay has established ViPRE, the Virtual Production Research Environment. Leading this project ensures exciting research avenues, collaborations with top industry players and strong foundations for new courses putting students in a strong position to work in both the games and media production sectors.
What is Virtual Production? What does it mean for locations?
Many locations are now being approached for special filming for use in virtual production. It is vital that locations understand what’s involved, the huge opportunities, and how to protect their rights. Virtual Production involves projecting locations and experiences onto special video screens in studios so cast and crew can see and interact with these in real time. That can be completely imaginary places and things created in computers or real environments captured in 3D using cameras, mobiles or other devices for photogrammetry. Virtual Production uses special games software to make content and process it instantly. Traditional production can take many months for that. World famous producer, Steven Spielberg, was one of the first to recognise the potential and a famous example is Disney’s The Mandalorian. Abertay University’s long history in games technology means they are perfectly poised to play a leading role and encourage filmmaking to Fife Tay.
Joshua Ryan-Saha, Traveltech, Edinburgh Futures Institute
Joshua is the Co-Founder and Director of Traveltech for Scotland, an innovation hub for over 160 travel tech businesses in Scotland. He is also the Director of Tourism-Tech at the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute where he leads on the application of AI and data-driven innovation for the tourism sector and Edinburgh’s renowned festivals. Joshua has led practical research projects about the future of technology and tourism, including the role of AI and robotics in alleviating staff shortages.
https://www.traveltech.scot
https://www.traveltech.scot/project/traveltech-for-tay-cities
Production
Productions bring crews ranging from just a few people up to several hundred. They all need services like accommodation, transport and catering. Depending on the subject, they may also need input such as experts and culture, leisure or other experiences. The wider impact is worth at least double the spending.
Screen Tourism
We’re very conscious of the challenges still being faced by the tourism and hospitality sectors following the pandemic and due to current economic headwinds. But did you know that 40% of visitors to the UK come here having been inspired by seeing a destination on film or television? It's great news for everyone involved in all kinds of media production, for destinations and for tourism. We are also aware of the challenges that can be faced by locations that become popular with tourists eager to find out more about the making of their favourite shows.
The Independent reported that holiday spending has surged in 2023 despite the cost of living crisis but that data suggests a shift towards low-cost options and direct bookings. So it’s even more important that the tourism sector uses all available screen and digital tools for promotion and management.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/holiday-bookings-2023-cost-of-living-b2319053.html
At Screen Ready you can find out about the productions shot on location in Fife Tay, what’s involved in attracting and hosting production and how to make the most of opportunities after the cameras have gone.
To highlight the opportunities and share promotional ideas, Screen Ready is being hosted by FifeScreen+TayScreen, the Screen Office serving the region that takes in Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross.
Book now
So head online on 6th December and let's explore and make the most of all of these great opportunities together. If your business is working or engaging with screen and media, or you would like to find out more, book your place now for this FREE webinar. You won't want to miss it.
Schedule
10.00 Introduction by Julie Craik
10.10 Tim Maskell, Location Manager
10.35 Matt Bett, Abertay University, Virtual Production
11.00 Joshua Ryan-Saha, Traveltech and the Tay Cities Region Challenge
Julie Craik - Tay5G
11.30 Panel Q&A
11.45 Close