When we talk about the value of film production, it’s often in terms of direct economic spending—how much a production crew spends on hotels, catering, or local services. These figures are tangible, easy to communicate, and politically appealing. But they are also incomplete.
The Impact of Film on People and Destinations—a report developed within the EU-funded initiative Smart Kreativ Stad (Smart Creative City) —shifts perspective. It investigates how films and television productions contribute to shaping how places are perceived, experienced, and remembered, both by audiences abroad and by those who live in the locations portrayed. In this way, the report opens a broader conversation about the indirect and long-term values that moving image narratives can generate for cities and regions.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Film Value
The report broadly defines film as feature films, documentaries, scripted series, and commercials. It notes that film and television are among the most influential cultural forms of our time, spreading knowledge, generating emotional connections, and constructing narratives that shape public imagination.
Crucially, these are mobile industries. Productions are not tied to place in the same way as traditional industries. Instead, they seek locations that offer the right combination of financing, infrastructure, aesthetics, and administrative support. For regions and cities, this creates an opportunity to attract productions, strategically align with them, and co-create value.
Beyond the Shoot: The Importance of Secondary Values
Rather than focusing on well-known spending multipliers during production, the report introduces an approach for understanding secondary values—those effects that take shape through visibility, association and memory.
These include:
- Symbolic values, such as alignment with compelling narratives or international prestige
- Perceptual values, in how audiences see a place
- Relational values, in the form of renewed interest, tourism flows, or cross-sector partnerships
- Internal values, such as increased local pride or stronger cultural identity
The report suggests that in many cases, these secondary effects may outweigh the direct financial value of hosting a production, particularly over time.
Methods of Assessment
To make these secondary values more tangible, the report proposes an analytical framework that includes:
- Content analysis – examining how the place is portrayed in terms of themes, characters, tone, and visual language.
- Reach analysis – estimating audience size, distribution channels, and demographic segments reached.
- Media analysis – evaluating press coverage and social media engagement linked to the production.
- Digital footprint – analyzing search patterns, web traffic, and digital content associated with the place.
- Place perception analysis – assessing how the production has influenced the image and narrative of the location.
This is not a rigid formula but a set of perspectives to help guide evaluation and strategic planning.
A Case in Point: Idaten and Stockholm
The report applies this model to a specific case: the Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s historical drama Idaten, which included episodes filmed in Stockholm in 2019. The series, part of Japan’s long-standing ”Taiga drama” tradition, reached millions of viewers and portrayed Stockholm through the story of Shiso Kanakuri, Japan’s first Olympic marathon runner.
The Stockholm scenes highlighted the city’s history, built environment and cultural symbolism. They also inserted Stockholm into the Japanese cultural imagination—not as an exotic backdrop, but as part of a shared Olympic narrative. Media coverage, web searches and tourism-related interest in Stockholm followed.
This case illustrates how strategic engagement with international productions can help a city enter the cultural narratives of other countries. It also underscores the importance of understanding which stories resonate and how those stories contribute to a place’s identity.
Comparative Insights: The UK and Northern Ireland
In a comparative perspective, the report highlights how countries such as the UK have developed systematic approaches to film and television as drivers of tourism, branding, and regional development. The example of Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland is well known, but it is not an isolated case. British screen industries are closely integrated with tourism agencies and national branding efforts from Harry Potter to The Crown.
The lesson here is not simply to imitate, but to recognize the potential of long-term strategies that bridge film policy, place marketing and cultural diplomacy.
Guidance for Stakeholders
For regional film commissions, destination marketing organizations and cultural policy makers, the report provides a set of recommendations:
- Engage early – strategic value is created long before the camera rolls.
- Understand the narrative – every production carries a set of meanings; know what stories you associate with.
- Tourism, culture, city branding, and local business development should coordinate across sectors.
- Think beyond the premiere – plan for post-release engagement, tourism packaging, and narrative reuse.
- Measure and reflect – use tools to assess impact and share findings transparently.
Toward a More Reflective Practice
The report does not claim to have all the answers. Rather, it aims to expand the conversation—inviting cities, regions and national actors to move beyond the logic of “film as event” to a more reflective understanding of “film as relationship.”
The implications are clear for those of us working at the intersection of communication strategy, cultural policy, and place development. Film and television are not merely promotional tools. They are cultural forces that help us define who we are, where we are, and how we are seen.
