New era for Scotland's screen sector - Angus Robertson

Matthew Goode and Jamie Sives in the Calders area of Wester Hailes, for the dramatic opening scene of Department Q on Netflix

But the success of Department Q represents a significant shift: large-scale international production filmed and built right here in Scotland’s capital.

The nine-part Netflix series, now number one in the UK and number two globally, follows detective Carl Morck as he leads a new cold case unit investigating unsolved crimes in modern-day Edinburgh. Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s bestselling Danish novels and adapted by Queen’s Gambit creator Scott Frank, the series was filmed over six months in and around the city.

Around half of Department Q was shot at FirstStage Studios, located in a converted wave energy warehouse at Leith Docks. The remaining scenes were filmed at locations including the City Chambers, Mortonhall Crematorium, Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar, the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena in Ratho, and the CodeBase building on Castle Terrace, which serves as the police headquarters exterior.

FirstStage, co-founded by Bob Last and Jason Connery, has become a cornerstone of Scotland’s screen infrastructure, attracting major productions from Netflix, Amazon and Sony. Its creation was made possible with Scottish Government support and years of advocacy from the screen sector, allowing the city to meet growing demand for streaming content with in-house facilities and Scottish talent.

The success of Department Q demonstrates how coordinated investment, local expertise and industry ambition are fuelling a new era for Scotland’s screen sector.