Scotland’s entertainment landscape has transformed dramatically in my years covering this beat. What was once an industry that exported talent to London and Los Angeles is now producing world-class content right here, telling Scottish stories to global audiences.
The explosion of streaming platforms has been a particular boon. Suddenly, there’s appetite for content that doesn’t fit traditional broadcasting models. Scottish noir, historical drama, comedy that doesn’t translate easily outside the UK. All of it finding audiences and funding in ways that seemed impossible a decade ago.
Film and Television Production
I’ve visited film sets from Glasgow studios to location shoots in the Highlands. The Scottish film industry isn’t just about providing scenery for Hollywood productions anymore, though that still happens. It’s about Scottish stories told by Scottish filmmakers with Scottish casts.
Television production in Scotland has matured beyond BBC Scotland dramas. Independent production companies are creating content for Netflix, Amazon, and other platforms. The tax incentives help, but so does the talent pool: writers, directors, cinematographers, and actors who’ve honed their craft here.
Comedy and Theatre
Scottish comedy has always had a distinctive voice, sharp and self-deprecating but never defeated. The stand-up circuit from Edinburgh to Aberdeen produces talent that goes on to international success, but I’m more interested in the comedians who stay, who develop material rooted in Scottish life and politics.
Theatre in Scotland ranges from the grand productions at the Royal Lyceum to experimental work in tiny venues. I’ve seen Shakespeare reimagined through a Scottish lens, new plays tackling contemporary social issues, physical theatre that needs no words to communicate.
Film Festivals and Cultural Events
The Edinburgh International Film Festival isn’t just about red carpets and premieres. It’s a showcase for Scottish filmmaking talent, a networking opportunity for the industry, and a chance for audiences to see films that will never get mainstream distribution.
Glasgow Film Festival, Dundee Mountain Film Festival, and numerous smaller events across Scotland create a year-round celebration of cinema. I try to cover as many as possible because they reveal where Scottish entertainment is heading.
What excites me most about covering Scottish entertainment is the sheer ambition. Nobody’s content to be a regional curiosity anymore. The goal is to make work that matters, that travels, that competes on the global stage while remaining authentically Scottish.