Wales.com

The Wales Screen Commission, part of the Creative Business Wales team, has experienced its most successful year on record with four major feature films using key locations in Wales.

The Commission assisted eleven feature films that shot in Wales in the last financial year, among them Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Robin Hood in south west Wales, Clash of the Titans in north Wales and Ironclad in south east Wales.

The film Clash of the Titans used Dinorwic Quarry in north Wales as a location. Interest in the film was fuelled by press coverage all over the world and the box office takings currently stand at over $480 million.

Robin Hood with Ridley Scott at the helm shot on location on Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire. In a recent interview with Mark Strong, who played Godfrey in the film, he was happy to share his feelings about shooting in Pembrokeshire by describing the location as "one of the most beautiful spots I think I’ve ever filmed in." The film caused a press frenzy, when it opened the 63rd Cannes Film Festival and the gross world wide box office figure to date is approximately $249 million.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, with its even bigger fan base will almost certainly surpass the other films when it is released in November 2010.

There is no doubt that these films will have an impact on the tourism industry in the longer term as film fans from all over the world seek out the locations that they’ve seen on the big screen.