Sean Connery advert `cost more than Slumdog Millionaire`

The Homecoming TV ad was more expensive to make than Slumdog Millionaire, Labour MSPs said yesterday - reports the Daily Record.

The SNP government's minute-long commercial cost £233,450, while the Oscar-winning movie cost £28,000 per minute.

The bill for the starstudded telly advert was revealed in parliamentary answers from tourism minister Jim Mather.

Labour tourism spokesman Lewis Macdonald said: "I am astonished that the SNP's Homecoming advert cost more per minute than a film that won eight Oscars.

"They'll not be winning any prizes for getting value for public money.

"The SNP began by trying to remake Brigadoon with SNP supporters Sean Connery and Sandi Thom in the lead roles. Now it turns out that they did so at prices which are more Hollywood than Holyrood."

Ten Scots celebrities sing Caledonia in the ad. Stars - who also included Lulu - did not charge for appearing.

Filming, editing and fees for the producer and director ran to £233,450.

It cost another £15,000 to use Dougie MacLean's music for a year. A further £10,000 went on editing a special version for the US. Travel and accommodation expenses added £1550.

TV airtime at home and abroad cost £299,287.

Slumdog cost £3.3million to make.

A TV industry insider said the budget of the advert appeared high.

He said: "The ad could have been made for £2000.

"It would have looked big budget if they'd spent £20,000."

An aide to Mather claimed Slumdog cost more than £16million and could not be compared with the ad.

He said: "This is another embarrassing blunder by Lewis Macdonald.

"The bottom line is, the Year of Homecoming is set to deliver £40million in extra tourism revenue and 100,000 additional visitors, giving our tourism industry a huge boost in a tough economic climate."

Discuss this news here...