Trainspotting (film) discussing which chapters of the book would and would not translate into film. Hodge finished the first draft by December. Macdonald secured financing from Channel 4, a British television station known for funding independent films. Pre-production began in April 1995. Ewan McGregor was cast after impressing Boyle and Macdonald with his work on their previous film, "Shallow Grave". According to Boyle, for the role of Renton, they wanted the quality of Michael Caine's character in "Alfie" and Malcolm McDowell's character in "A Clockwork Orange", "repulsive ... with charm "that makes you feel deeply ambiguous about what he's doing." McGregor shaved
Glasgow Film Theatre venues across the city. Over the years GFT has played host to many illustrious guests, including: Richard Attenborough, Elmer Bernstein, John Byrne (playwright), Danny Boyle, Simon Callow, Robert Carlyle, Robbie Coltrane, Sean Connery, Willem Dafoe, Carl Davis, Bill Forsyth, Stephen Fry, Peter Greenaway, David Hayman, Jane Horrocks, Eddie Izzard, Felicity Kendal, Anthony LaPaglia, Paul Laverty, Jonny Lee Miller, Janet Leigh, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Baz Luhrmann, David Lynch, Ewan McGregor, Hayley Mills, Peter Mullan, David Niven, David Puttnam, Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Christopher Reeve, Nicolas Roeg, Mickey Rooney, Paul Schrader, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton, Quentin Tarantino, Giuseppe Tornatore and Max von Sydow.