Scouting across Wales for the most beautiful places for production companies for Wales, location scout Tom Guy gives Polina Zelmanova the low-down on what the job entails.
What do you think has made Wales so popular for international filmmakers in the past few years, and how has this affected the Welsh film scene?
By now Wales has a very strong base of very talented people and companies. This hasn’t happened overnight by any means – we’ve always had exceptional talent here – but in recent years those people have been given an international platform and have been recognised as some of the best in the world. I’m often told by producers from around the world that they’ve really enjoyed their time in Wales and that they’re keen to return, which is great.
What are the main things that make Wales an attractive location for production?
The Welsh landscape is obviously something we’re very lucky to have as it attracts filmmakers from all over the world. The mountains of Snowdonia, the beaches of the Gower and the breadth of the Brecon Beacons stand out, not to mention the castles! We’ve filmed in many different castles in Wales over the years. We’ve got some incredibly talented set builders here in Wales, but filming for real on location always gives a production a special feel. The ability to walk along stone corridors into large medieval halls in one shot is special. Even some of our smaller castles are set in breathtaking landscapes. They don’t have those in Hollywood, do they?
Is there something common that productions who film in Wales look for, in terms of location, or is it very individualistic?
These days I’d say it’s individualistic. We may have been the ‘go-to’ place for landscapes in the past but if you look at the calibre of shows that have been made and are currently being made in Wales, you’ll see a huge range of diversity there, across high-end TV shows to feature films and recurring dramas.
Wales has recently seen a boom in the Scandi-noir style dramas being made, both in Welsh and English. They’ve managed to showcase to the world some of the dramatic and moody landscapes and locations we have.
If you could recommend one place in Wales to someone that’s never visited before, somewhere that’s off the beaten track and not so well-known with visitors, where would it be and why?
There are so many places – one of my favourites is Cwmorthin slate quarry, which lies above the village of Tanygrisiau. It’s a bit of a trek up there up a steep path but once you get there it’s certainly worth it! If you’re lucky and get there on a still morning, the lake looks like glass and reflects the epic landscape surrounding it.
Info: locationsolutions.wales