BFG locations manager praises Scotland's landscape

The BFG opens in UK cinemas on Friday

The locations manager for Steven Spielberg's latest movie, The BFG, has said Scotland provided the perfect landscapes for scenes in the film.

The film adaptation of Roald Dahl's story The Big Friendly Giant was partly shot on Skye and Orkney.

David Broder said: "Scotland provided The BFG with very dramatic mountain and island locations that became our Giants Land, a place of wonder and awe."

VisitScotland hopes the film will boost tourist visits to Skye and Orkney.

Mr Broder said the Scottish government, along with public bodies and charities, helped the film's production team to shoot scenes on the islands.

He said: "We received great help from Creative Scotland, Scottish ministers, RSPB Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland and the friendly, helpful residents of Skye and the Orkney Islands."

The Storr in Trotternish on Skye features in the movie

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said cinema played an important part in encouraging tourists to come to Scotland.

He said: "With 40% of visitors to the UK inspired to come here after seeing a location on film or on television, the appearance of Skye and Orkney in Steven Spielberg's latest movie can only be great news, not only for the islands themselves, but for Scottish tourism as a whole."

Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop added: "Our island communities serve as a unique backdrop for TV and film productions, with dramatic landscapes and seascapes.

"These movies shine a spotlight on some of Scotland's greatest assets, icons and hidden gems, which helps attract tourists to our island and rural communities."

VisitBritain's Skye-themed BFG promotion

Tourism body VisitBritain has already promoted The Storr, a geological feature of the landscape in Trotternish, Skye, used for the film, in its campaign called Oh My Giant Britain (OMGB).

The BFG opened in the US on 1 July and in the UK on Friday.

Skye is a favourite with film-makers and provided backdrops for Stardust, which starred Michelle Pfieffer, big budget sci-fi Prometheus, Snow White and the Huntsman, Keanu Reeves' film 47 Ronin and the latest film adaption of Macbeth.

Last month it emerged that the production team behind The BFG were helped by Highland's Council's small tourism and film unit with its inquiries about locations on Skye.