Hollywood actress Tilda Swinton films new Mercedes advert in Caithness
A WORLD-renowned car manufacturer flew in one of Britain’s most acclaimed actresses to Caithness to film a commercial to launch its new luxury vehicle.
Brough Harbour, Dunnet Forest and Dunnet Head were used as locations for Mercedes-Benz to shoot an advert for its new S-Class Coupé, which starred Tilda Swinton.
The commercial, which is believed to have taken up to four days to shoot, saw a production crew of up to 50 filming at various locations across the far north last week.
Members of the public reported watching filming taking place, luxury cars and filming equipment being transported and even helicopters landing in Brough.
The S-Class Coupé was officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland last month, but production of the commercial remained top secret and representatives from the Dunnet Forestry Trust and Brough Bay Association were sworn to secrecy during filming.
Jean Barnett, chairwoman of Dunnet Forestry Trust, confirmed yesterday that Mercedes-Benz had approached the organisation for permission to film in the woodland and had in turn received a generous donation.
She said it was the first time the group had been asked to allow the forest to be used as the backdrop to a commercial. “Mercedes-Benz were filming in the forest on Thursday to make an advertisement for a new car which Tilda Swinton was being filmed in,” she said.
“It was a big production, there were between 40 to 50 people involved in the making of the commercial. They had been searching for somewhere in the north of Scotland to shoot the advert and had been scouting round taking pictures of various locations.
“When I spoke to them, they told me they loved the beach, Dunnet Head and Brough Harbour with the cliffs behind it. They also wanted a forest and we were handy and amenable for their needs.”
She added: “After filming was completed they kindly made a generous donation to the forest and have also made a donation to Brough Bay Association. They were completely professional whilst shooting the production and they left the forest absolutely immaculate.”
A committee member for Brough Bay Association also confirmed Mercedes-Benz was filming at Brough Bay with Tilda Swinton.
Mercedes-Benz spokesman Angus Fitton told the Caithness Courier: “A film crew was at a number of locations in the north of Scotland shooting a commercial for the S-Class Coupé.
“The car has premiered at a number of motor shows, such as Detroit and Geneva, and will be on sale to the British market in November.”
The commercial will be broadcast later in the year.
Big Box Network, a film production company based in Caithness, has for the last few years championed and promoted the far north of Scotland as a viable film location.
Chief executive Ali Murray said more effort needs to be made to promote the far north as a location which can accommodate film, television and advertisement production.
“The Mercedes-Benz commercial highlights the potential of the area not just for movies or television production but for adverts as well,” he said.
