Film production in Glasgow
Between June and December, usable daylight in Glasgow moves by 10h 31min — from 17h 33min down to 7h 02min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Glasgow rises at 04:32 and sets at 22:05; the evening golden hour starts at 21:01 and runs for 64 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:42–15:44, with a 78-minute golden-hour window from 14:26.
In practice, a spread of 10h 31min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:38 | 16:15 | 7h 37min | 15:05 |
| February | 07:43 | 17:21 | 9h 37min | 16:26 |
| March | 06:34 | 18:20 | 11h 46min | 17:31 |
| April | 06:13 | 20:22 | 14h 10min | 19:32 |
| May | 05:06 | 21:22 | 16h 16min | 20:26 |
| June | 04:32 | 22:05 | 17h 33min | 21:01 |
| July | 04:53 | 21:54 | 17h 01min | 20:53 |
| August | 05:49 | 20:56 | 15h 07min | 20:04 |
| September | 06:49 | 19:37 | 12h 48min | 18:49 |
| October | 07:48 | 18:19 | 10h 31min | 17:27 |
| November | 07:53 | 16:12 | 8h 19min | 15:09 |
| December | 08:42 | 15:44 | 7h 02min | 14:26 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Glasgow starts at 22:40 in June and ends at 23:06 — a window of 26 minutes. In December it is 17 minutes from 16:13. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:20) and September (19:37) there are 77 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Glasgow averages 19 rain days in August and 11 in April. A three-day exterior shoot in August statistically loses 1.9 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.9 °C | 17 | 3.3 |
| February | 4.5 °C | 17 | 4.7 |
| March | 5.5 °C | 16 | 6.1 |
| April | 7.4 °C | 11 | 8.6 |
| May | 10.9 °C | 14 | 9.6 |
| June | 13.7 °C | 16 | 9.9 |
| July | 14.8 °C | 18 | 9.5 |
| August | 14.5 °C | 19 | 8.8 |
| September | 12.7 °C | 15 | 7.2 |
| October | 9.8 °C | 16 | 5.0 |
| November | 6.2 °C | 15 | 3.7 |
| December | 5.0 °C | 19 | 2.3 |
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Glasgow?
In June it starts at 21:01 and lasts 64 minutes; in December it starts at 14:26 and lasts 78 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Glasgow get?
Between 7h 02min in December and 17h 33min in June. The 10h 31min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Glasgow?
Combining daylight and rain days, June comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.