Portfolio FIlms (POFI), Stirling’s own independent production studio, sees the development of the £16m Stirling Studios project as a “major opportunity,” not a threat.
Hidden beneath 7C Viewfield Place, POFI Studios is an independent, AI-assisted film studio focused on producing children’s TV, factual documentaries, drama, and digital content.
Founder Meddy Ezrah Ortega, said:
“More studio infrastructure means more productions, more jobs and more visibility for the region.
What matters most to us is that it creates opportunities for Scottish talent, so that Scotland is not just a filming location but a place where skilled crew, actors, writers and directors are genuinely part of these productions.
Stirling Studios will focus on production, while we at POFI specialises in development and post
production, so we see our work as complementary rather than competitive.”
Co-founders Meddy Ortega and Stuart Cameron originally operated Portfolio Films between Dubai and Los Angeles, moving production over to Stirling in 2022. They opened up their Stirling studio to freelance creatives in September 2025.
“Stuart returned to Scotland first for personal reasons, and two years later he offered me a position and invited me to come to Stirling to see if we could rebuild the company here and expand our existing IP,” Ortega said.
“It was not a strategic business decision at the time, it was more of a leap of faith.
The transition has not been easy.”
The aim for Portfolio Films is to develop content that resonates globally whilst remaining rooted in Scottish identity. Ortega said:
“We tell stories that reflect Scotland’s multicultural reality and our own international backgrounds.
We are committed to supporting emerging Scottish creatives and to working efficiently, creatively and collaboratively.
Our vision is to build storytelling from Stirling that can travel across the world”
The change of scenery to Scotland has bled its way into POFI’s creative projects. Scotland sparks inspiration, and Stirling Castle has a starring role in their current project, Castle McClue, a fantasy mystery children’s series set in a fictionalised version of Stirling Castle and told through a blend of live action and anime-inspired portal sequences.
Their limited drama series, For All Time, is also inspired by the Scottish Highlands. It follows a group of young Gaelic singers who begin to rediscover their roots through music, ancestry and the forgotten stories of the Highlands.
“Stirling turned out to be the right home for us,” Ortega said.
“It has rich culture and history, a growing screen sector, a supportive creative community, a central location between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and a landscape that naturally inspires storytelling.”
Ortega has produced projects with cinema releases, and has had a hand in creating award-winning documentaries. These achievements have played a “major role in building our credibility long before POFI’s relocation to Scotland,” Ortega said.
“I have been fortunate to work on several projects that gained significant attention internationally,” she said.
“I produced Beautiful Wave, which featured Lance Henriksen, best known for Aliens and The Terminator. This film remains licensed with Lionsgate and continues to be available across major streaming platforms.
Another milestone was Earth Meets Wind, which starred Komang and Cindera Che, who is famously known as one of Michael Jackson’s muse in his Smooth Criminal music video. It won Best Documentary at the California Film Awards and screened at several festivals.”
Introducing AI into their post-production has helped POFI stay afloat as an independently owned production studio.
“We embrace new technology and new ways of working, including AI enhanced workflows.”
PORI is largely self-funded. Some of their income comes from commercial production work, membership and suite rentals, AI driven post production tools and a cooperative talent model designed to support emerging Scottish creatives.
They generate additional income through project-based post-production services, co-production partnerships, early investor interest, and development deals with distributors and broadcasters
“We are now gradually moving into a sustainable growth phase,” Ortega said.
The most recent addition to the POFI crew is a University of Stirling Film and Media alumni. Having graduated in 2024, Felix now works as a production assistant, running the studio when bosses Ortega and Cameron are out of town.
“Immedietly post-dissertation I began applying to every production studio in Scotland,” Felix said.
“Eventually I got lucky with POFI, even better that it was based in Stirling. Now I’m in the industry I was working towards at university. I’m on the career ladder.”
Ortega has her own degree in Broadcast Communications from the University of the Philippines, but she learned her trade through hands-on experiences.
“What matters most is creativity, practical ability, resilience, collaboration and a strong portfolio,” she said.
“POFI is built on a merit-based approach, and we value skill and passion above formal qualifications.”
As an innovative corner of Scottish film production with years of international experience behind it, Portfolio Films is here to stay.
Featured Image Credit: Kerry Lloyd