About Glasgow

Of Brittonic Origin, Glasgow is the 4th most popular city in the UK. Located in Scotland, its population is over 500,000, with an additional 2 million tourists per year! Home to the Glaswegians, the land of Glasgow is astonishingly green and bursting with countryside colour, alongside the River Clyde. Some of the first small settlements of Glasgow started along the River Clyde, and now, Glasgow has grown to be the largest populated city in Scotland.

The culture of Glasgow is rich including famous operas, music, curling, ballets and (of course) football. In fact, Glasgow was named the European Capital of Culture back in the 1990s. If you’re looking to delve into all things Scottish, Glasgow is definitely the place to be.

Walking around the city of Glasgow can give you all sorts of inspiration for your film, from the architecture, shopping and dining to the numerous local attractions. Finding the vibe to your whole shoot will be effortless in Glasgow.

Filming Location Options in Glasgow

Despite the gloomy weather here, you will find a wide range of bright people and companies to help you achieve your filming endeavour. We’ve put together a list of aspects to consider before making any final choices for your shoot.

• Makeup Artist / Hair Stylist
  Before setting up your filming location, you may want to consider a makeup artist or hairstylist. If your film incorporates actors or actresses, they will need camera-ready hair and makeup before takes of your film. Luckily, Glasgow has a wide range of freelance makeup artists and hairstylists for you to determine the best match for your style.
  
  
• The Equipment
  Another aspect to consider before booking your filming location would be making sure you have all of your equipment. The last thing you want is to show up to begin filming, only then to realize you’re missing a piece! When visiting a camera equipment shop, you may be inspired by a certain lighting prop or a new lens you’d like to give a try. The possibilities are endless when creating a motion picture.
  
  
• Film Crew Hire
  Are you currently a team of one? If so, you’ll be happy to know there are fully stocked film crews you can hire to work with and for you. Having professional help and more bodies to help you along the way is beneficial to the whole project.
  
  
• Actors/Actresses
  After coming up with the idea or plot for your film, you will need actors or actresses to help bring the script alive. In a city that has half a million people (plus 2 million tourists coming through per year), the pool of budding actors and actresses from all walks of life is unlimited here. Glasgow is the perfect city to look for the right fit for your filming location.

Filming Location Companies in Glasgow

• Ruth Higgins, Hair & Makeup Artist
  Ruth is a hairstylist and makeup artist based in Glasgow. She has a lifetime’s worth of experience within the film industry doing makeup behind the camera. Ruth has worked on TV shows such as The Crown, The Voice Australia, & The Russell Howard Show, plus she has worked on broadcaster networks such as Sky TV, IITV and CNN.
  
  
• Progressive Broadcast Hire
  Progressive Broadcast Hire opened in January 2008 in the southeast end of Glasgow and recently moved across Glasgow to the southwest side of Govan in 2018. This shop carries a wide range of camera and film technology and also offers services and repairs. Not only are they professionals of film, but Progressive Broadcast Hire also offers themselves as a fully-fledged camera and film crew.
  
  
• Production Attic
  Production Attic specializes in high-end visual communications. Consisting of a full team of 10, Production Attic offers film crew hire and post-production services, including animation. From documentary films to advertisements, they are specialized in a wide array of film production. They also offer the option of hiring just the film crew or just the animation crew.

Pros and Cons of Filming Locations in Glasgow

Pros

• Friendly City
  Glasgow is known as one of the friendliest cities in the UK. When arriving at your filming location in Glasgow, absolutely expect to meet some friendly people on the way.
  
  
• Modern and Old World History
  Glasgow, Scotland is a mecca of two time periods clashing together. From the historical medieval buildings to the modern art and music culture, it is quite a dichotomy. This makes it the perfect place to take inspiration from, playing to a wide variety of interests.
  
  
• Transport
  For those not able to drive, or who simply do not own a car, Glasgow’s city transport is a highly connected route. The transport can help you get around quickly – especially if you have several different locations for filming.
  
  
• Carbon Zero Home Project
  As far as modern architecture goes, one major home project has started recently in Glasgow. A carbon zero home has been built by Glasgow regeneration specialists “Beyond Zero Homes”, who are a group of 20 home building organizations. The house can be found on the Broomielaw campus to be visited and learned about. That’s one major win for the environment from Glasgow!
  
  
• Accommodation
  If you are not from Glasgow and are just visiting, Glasgow has many housing accommodations for visitors. As far as Air B&B’s go, there are over 6,000 locations where you can stay for the time you are there. If you’re not a fan of Air B&B’s, Glasgow also offers a wide range of hotels you can stay at. These are not your everyday hotel either, some of Glasgow’s hotels are actually inside of century-old castles. Talk about bang for your buck!

Cons

• Work Hard, Play Hard
  As a Glaswegian, the culture is to work hard play harder. The drinking culture in Scotland is one of the many globally-known aspects of the city. If you are not used to seeing this, then it could perhaps be a bit of a culture shock.
  
  
• Property Size
  If you’re thinking about relocating to Glasgow, taking the compact nature of their property size into consideration is advised. The houses are quite small and there’s not much property when living in the city. For those that seek wide open spaces, this could be an issue.
  
  
• Weather
  Keeping the theme with most if not all of the UK in general, the weather is very grey and very wet here. If you are someone who thrives in the sunshine and loves getting some Vitamin D everyday, Glasgow may not be the place for you.

Famous Locations in Glasgow

• Glasgow Cathedral
  Glasgow Cathedral is a medieval-style 12th-century building located on Castle Street. Known as St. Mungos Cathedral from St. Mungo, its the first of the Bishropic in AD 603. The most adorned room in the cathedral is the crypt, in which St. Mungo is buried.
  
  
• University of Glasgow: The Hunterian Museum + Art Gallery
  The University of Glasgow is the second oldest university in Glasgow. It was built in 1451 and is dedicated to William Hunter, the famous Scottish anatomist and physician. William wanted his possessions to be packed up and donated to the university after he passed over. His legacy lives on through the Glasgow Museum.
  
  
• The Lighthouse
  Located in the heart of Glasgow is the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse opened as a part of Glasgow’s City and Architecture Design in 1999. Glasgow’s most famous Architect, Gareth Hoskins, is celebrated through the design concept of the Lighthouse. The state-of-the-art helical staircase is a huge attraction to Glaswegians and tourists. The Lighthouse is the perfect spot to visit for angle design inspiration for your filming vision.