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The Rig goes big; A century of the BBC in Scotland; & EIFF returns

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The Rig goes big; A century of the BBC in Scotland; & EIFF returns

It's been a wee while...

ReelScotland
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Jonathan Melville
Mar 9
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The Rig goes big; A century of the BBC in Scotland; & EIFF returns

reelscotland.substack.com

I had good intentions when I moved ReelScotland over to Substack in 2020, excited by plans for a new Filmhouse here in Edinburgh (more on that later), a new film studio in Leith and production on various TV series and films taking place around the country.

Sadly, I got a bit ahead of myself as I was still writing on a book on 1986’s Highlander and mulling over starting another book on 1983’s Local Hero while going back to university for an MA in Screenwriting and working part time at the Scottish Documentary Institute. What was I thinking?

The books are now published, the course is finished and I’m now working in screen education at Screen Academy Scotland/Screen NETS while doing freelance development work on unscripted radio and TV projects, so keeping busy.

But I’m still as interested in what’s going on in Scotland’s screen sector today as I was when ReelScotland started back in 2010, plus people keep signing up to this newsletter despite me not sending anything out for a wee while…

So I thought I’d flex the old ReelScotland muscles and put together a newsletter covering some recent goings-on that might be of interest to people who are either working in the Scottish screen sector in pretty much any capacity (or who are trying to enter it) or who just quite like films, TV and games made in Scotland (or with some Scottish connection that gives me an excuse to cover it).

I’m not sure if monthly or fortnightly round-ups are better, or maybe monthly with the occasional one-off newsletter with an interview, special preview or breaking news… basically anything could happen.

Thanks for being here to watch ReelScotland slowly morph into something newish, feel free to let me know what I’m doing wrong or right and I’ll adjust as I go along. Here we go…

🎂 This week marked the centenary of the BBC in Scotland, check out the video below for some classic moments from the archives and head over to BBC iPlayer to watch an hour-long celebration.

Twitter avatar for @BBCScotComms
BBC Scotland Comms @BBCScotComms
100 years of Our BBC in Scotland via (@BBCScotland)
10:45 AM ∙ Mar 6, 2023
2Likes1Retweet

🎞️ This week also saw the announcement that Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) will return in August as part of the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) following the disaster that befell the former in 2022 when the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) collapsed overnight, taking EIFF, Edinburgh’s Filmhouse and Aberdeen’s Belmont Filmhouse with it.

Twitter avatar for @edfilmfest
Edinburgh Film Festival @edfilmfest
Together with @screenscots and @edintfest, we’re delighted to announce that #edfilmfest will be returning for its 76th edition this summer, running from 18 – 23 Aug 23, in a special one-year iteration as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.
The EIFF audience at the premiere of Nude Tuesday last year. Picture: Pako Mera
11:00 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023
225Likes53Retweets

It’s fair to say that this newsletter wouldn’t exist without the existence of Filmhouse and EIFF, my own love of film and desire to write about it informed by the incredible films and events put on by both over the years. The fact that two cinemas and a major film festival were able to vanish overnight is still hard to believe - not only did many people lose their jobs but Edinburgh feels like a smaller place without Filmhouse and I’m sure Aberdeen is the same. Fingers crossed we get both cinemas back soon.

🎞️ Glasgow Film Festival is in full swing right now, which has always been one of the most exciting celebrations of cinema taking place in Scotland. I’ve been lucky enough to attend as both journalist and punter, meeting some incredibly talented people and seeing some fantastic films. This year marks Allan Hunter’s last year as co-director and I’d like to pass on my thanks to him for always being so helpful and enthusiastic over the years - cheers Allan!

Twitter avatar for @screenscots
Screen Scotland @screenscots
✨ As @glasgowfilmfest comes to a close with @AllanHunter_GFF as co-director, we interviewed him about his experiences over the years, including emotional closing night galas and a memorable visit from Alan Rickman 📽️ Watch the full interview ➡️ screen.scot/news/features/…
3:34 PM ∙ Mar 8, 2023
36Likes13Retweets

🎞️ The Hippodrome Festival of Silent Film returns between 22nd to 26th March in Bo’ness, tickets are on sale now.

Twitter avatar for @HippFestScot
Hippodrome Silent Film Festival @HippFestScot
🎉 The #HippFest2023 Programme is live! 🎉 We are over the moon to share the full programme for our upcoming 13th edition running 22 - 26 March. Join us for a packed schedule of #SilentFilm, live music, and much more at @HippodromeFilm and beyond... 🎟️😍 hippodromecinema.co.uk/silent-film-fe…
4 overlapping circles are seen beneath the HippFest logo, three containing a film still from the programme.
12:46 PM ∙ Feb 7, 2023
66Likes37Retweets

🎞️ Tickets are also on sale for the 2023 Glasgow Short Film Festival which takes place from 22nd to 26th March. Opening event OMOS is a new moving image work that pays homage to Scotland’s untold Black history and celebrates Black performance in Scotland.

Twitter avatar for @GlasgowShort
Glasgow Short Film Festival @GlasgowShort
And we're rolling: full #GSFF23 programme out now 💫 Presenting Scottish premiers of new shorts, live performances, special curations, industry events and more! Watch our new trailer now (made by Lewis Den Hertog) 💥bit.ly/gsffishere💥
12:38 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
83Likes38Retweets

📺 Waaaaay back in 2010 I was invited along to a nondescript Glasgow office building to visit the set The Field of Blood, David Kane’s adaptation of a Denise Mina crime novel. The place had been dressed to look like the office of a 1980s newsroom belonging to a Glasgow newspaper, with typewriters, ashtrays and empty bags of crisps from the era dotted around the place. Shown on BBC One in 2011 and 2013, the series then vanished into TV history. That’s a long way of saying that today it was announced that Glasgow’s Freedom Scripted is working with Kane to bring an adaptation of Mina’s Alex Morrow novels to TV screens in the shape of Morrow. What with a new TV adaptation of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels also in the works, it could soon be a good time for Scottish cops on the box.

Twitter avatar for @C21Media
C21 Media @C21Media
Freedom Scripted to adapt Denise Mina’s Morrow crime novels with Shetland scribe dlvr.it/Skc66L
Image
9:32 AM ∙ Mar 9, 2023

📺 One of the biggest UK TV successes of 2023 has been The Rig, the Prime Video series set on an oil rig where things start to go quite badly for the crew, including Iain Glen, Martin Compston and Mark Bonnar. The series was filmed at First Stage studios in Leith and a second season was recently announced, once more filmed in Edinburgh. There’s a chance to hear more from the cast and crew, including creator and writer David Macpherson, at this Royal Television Society event on Wednesday 29th March.

Twitter avatar for @RTSScotland
RTS Scotland @RTSScotland
⚡️Got A Question For The Panel? | The Rig: Big, Bold, Breathtaking Drama⚡️ We Want To Hear From You! Leave us a comment or send your best questions by DM. 🗓️All questions must be submitted by Tuesday 14 March, 14:00. ⬇️Find out more: rts.org.uk/event/rig-big-…
rts.org.ukTHE RIG: BIG, BOLD, BREATHTAKING DRAMAThe Rig: Big, Bold, Breathtaking Drama Fire, fog, supernatural mystery, massive oil rigs, explosions, giant underwater anomalies and more Scottish stars than you can shake a stick at! When it comes to drama - The Rig went Big!
5:11 PM ∙ Mar 7, 2023
1Like4Retweets

🎬 For anyone looking to get into a career in TV, the Edinburgh TV Festival’s annual The Network programme could be for you. It’s a free entry-level access programme for anyone aged 18+ and it takes place every August. The 50 delegates selected for the 2023 cohort will get access to sessions, masterclasses and workshops led by industry professionals, as well as a free Festival pass, accommodation in Edinburgh, a year of mentoring and unlimited support to help them find paid TV jobs. The deadline is Friday 14th April.

Twitter avatar for @TheNetwork_TV
The Network @TheNetwork_TV
Do you want to start a career in TV? Applications for The Network 2023 are open! 📺⏩ Get access to exclusive masterclasses & workshops, a year of mentoring, and incredible networking opportunities at @EdinburghTVFest Find out more 👉 thenetwork-tv.co.uk
Get into TV. The Network, a free career programme. Image of a young woman holding a camera and smiling.
4:21 PM ∙ Feb 20, 2023
16Likes10Retweets

🎬 BAFTA Guru Live is another event for those keen to get into film, games and TV, visit the website for full details - it takes place in Glasgow on Saturday 18th March.

Twitter avatar for @BAFTAScotland
BAFTA Scotland @BAFTAScotland
Your BAFTA #GuruLive Scotland Programme has arrived! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Join us on Saturday 18 March at Glasgow School of Art for a day of industry inspiration, craft insights and skills sessions Find out more about each session below:
Image
11:02 AM ∙ Mar 1, 2023
37Likes17Retweets

Finally, a few films and TV series with a Scottish connection are dotted around the place right now, a few I’d recommend are:

  • Judi Dench and Billy Connolly in Mrs Brown on BBC iPlayer

  • John Byrne’s Tutti Frutti on BBC iPlayer

  • Rob Williams’ Screw on Channel 4

  • Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun on MUBI

  • 110(!) episodes of Taggart on STV Player

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The Rig goes big; A century of the BBC in Scotland; & EIFF returns

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