A filming location is a place where some or all of a

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a

movie studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...

backlot or soundstage. In filmmaking, a location is any place where a film crew will be filming actors ''and'' recording their dialog. A location where dialog is not recorded may be considered a

second unit Second unit is a discrete team of filmmakers tasked with filming shots or sequences of a production, separate from the main or "first" unit. The second unit will often shoot simultaneously with the other unit or units, allowing the filming stag ...

photography site. Filmmakers often choose to shoot on location because they believe that greater realism can be achieved in a "real" place; however, location shooting is often motivated by the film's budget. Many films shoot interior scenes on a sound stage and exterior scenes on location.

Types of locations

There are two main types of locations: * Location shooting, the practice of filming in an actual setting * Studio shoots, on either a sound stage or back lot Hollywood Sign

History

Video cameras originally designed for television broadcast were large and heavy, mounted on special pedestals and wired to remote recorders in separate rooms. As technology improved, out-of-studio video recording was possible with compact video cameras and portable video recorders; a detachable recording unit could be carried to a shooting location. Although the camera itself was compact, the need for a separate recorder made on-location shooting a two-person job.

Substitute locations

It is common for films or television series to be set in one place, but filmed in another, usually for reasons of economy or convenience, but sometimes because the substitute location looks more historically appropriate. Some substitute filming locations, and the corresponding film setting, include: * Almería, Spain - Southwest USA ('' The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'', as well as numerous other

Spaghetti Western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

s) * Cadiz, Spain - Havana, Cuba ('' Die Another Day'') * Hawaii - West Africa ('' Tears of the Sun''), Brazilian Amazon ('' The Rundown'') * Madrid, Soria, Spain - Moscow, Russia ('' Doctor Zhivago'') * Malta - Ancient Sparta ('' Troy''); Ancient Rome (''

Gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

''); Rome, Beirut, Cyprus, Tel Aviv, Athens ('' Munich''); Sweethaven ('' Popeye'') *

Matera Matera (, ; Materano: ) is a city in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a comple ...

, Italy - Jerusalem in ('' The Passion of the Christ''), (

Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...

) and several Jesus-time movies * Gran Sasso, Italy - Ladyhawke, Red Sonja, 60's Western movies * Prague, Czech Republic - Medieval England ('' A Knight's Tale''), Renaissance Italy (''

Borgia The House of Borgia ( , ; Spanish and an, Borja ; ca-valencia, Borja ) was an Italian-Aragonese Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Valencia, the surname being a toponymic from the town ...

''); 18th Century Vienna ('' Amadeus''); 18th Century France ('' The Affair of the Necklace''); 19th Century England ('' From Hell'', '' Shanghai Knights''); 19th Century Vienna ('' Wiener Mädeln'', '' The Illusionist''); WWII-era Dresden ('' Slaughterhouse-Five'') * St Pancras Hotel, London -

Arkham Asylum The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...

, Gotham City ('' Batman Begins''); Misselthwaite Manor, Yorkshire ('' The Secret Garden'') * Thailand - Various locations around Thailand have been used for many films depicting the Vietnam War era, including '' The Deer Hunter'', '' The Killing Fields'', '' Casualties of War'', '' Air America'' and '' Operation Dumbo Drop''. * Woodstock, Illinois -

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Punxsutawney (; Unami language, Lenape: ' ) is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in southern Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney is known globally for its annual Groundhog Day celebration held each February 2, during which thousands of ...

(''

Groundhog Day Groundhog Day ( pdc, Grund'sau dåk, , , ; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from ...

'')

Image gallery

Image:Weird Science house north view.JPG, The house used in the 1985 teen film ''

Weird Science Weird Science is the name of: * ''Weird Science'' (film), a 1985 film directed by John Hughes ** ''Weird Science'' (TV series), a television series based on the film ** "Weird Science" (song), the theme song to the film and the TV series by Oing ...

'' as well as the 2001 films '' Not Another Teen Movie'' and '' Donnie Darko.'' Image:Ferris Bueller house northeast view.JPG, The house used in the 1986 film '' Ferris Bueller's Day Off''. The house was also used in the 2001 film '' Not Another Teen Movie'' and the 2002 film '' Red Dragon''. Image:American Pie house west view.JPG, The house used in the 1999 film '' American Pie.'' Image:Donnie Darko house northwest view.JPG, The house used in the 2001 film '' Donnie Darko''. Image:Mount Carmel High School (Los Angeles) pic.JPG, Mount Carmel High School, the school was demolished at the end of '' Rock 'n' Roll High School''.

References

External links