CALIFORNIA
THE OTHER SUNSHINE STATE
reasons why HBO’s Looking [2014-15] chose to base its series co. Known as the home of the world’s high-tech/startup industry, the area supports filming with state-of-the-art studios and equiphere, and why Steve Jobs [2015] was able to film here.” Other productions to have filmed in San Francisco include Dawn ment, prop houses and a seasoned talent pool from all around the Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014), Big Eyes (2014), Godzilla (2014), Bay Area to draw upon. It is particularly known for commercials but San Andreas (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Terminator Genisys (2015), also attracts film and TV production. Examples include Chasing Murder In The First (2014-), Parks & Recreation (2009-15) and Mavericks (2012), which shot in 21 different locations throughout Sense8 (2015-). Getting ready to shoot are Etruscan Smile, starring the area. More recently, a reality TV series called Startup U (2015-) Roseanne Arquette and Brian Cox; Chances, starring Hugh Laurie; was based here. While LA and San Francisco are the main media hubs in CaliforMurder In The First; When We Rise; season two of Sense 8; Cruel Intentions, a pilot; and Fairyland — an indie film. On the impact of nia, the rest of the state offers a superb array of locations including spectacular coastline, arid deserts, ancient the new incentives, Greason Robbins says: forests, vineyards, snowy mountains and var“We are expecting to have two films shooting ied architecture. here which just were awarded the most recent MONEY MATTERS Placer County, home to the lovely Lake round of tax credits.” BASED on data provided with each Tahoe, is 180 miles East of San Francisco. Alongside incentives and an experienced Tax Credit application, the $53.9m Placer’s film commissioner Beverly Lewis crew base, Greason Robbins says the city’s given to the 13 projects approved for says: “The locations we’re known for include diverse locations are a strong pull: “We have a the latest round of awards in the state, will generate an estimated snow vistas, mountains lakes, white-water wide range that people might not associate $400m in direct in-state spending, rivers and rapids, forests, Gold Rush and ‘Norwith San Francisco. We have the park-like including $174m in wages to more man Rockwell’ towns, farmlands and all kinds neighbourhoods of St Francis Woods and Forthan 2,000 below-the-line crew of roads. Most productions come here to take est Hill which feel like suburbs of American members. In addition, the 13 projects advantage of our diverse terrain that goes small towns, beaches and sand dunes along will employ an estimated 540 cast members. from 90 feet to over 9,000 feet within 90 the Great Highway, an old industrial watermiles. Basically you can film Midwestern flatfront, along with diverse architecture in the lands in the morning and drive to our ski many different neighbourhoods ranging from Chinatown, the colourful Mission District, and the grand architec- resorts in Lake Tahoe within 90 minutes. Two productions that did just that when they needed to capture a cross-section of America ture of our buildings.” Diversity of look explains why “San Francisco has doubled for were Disney’s The Muppet Movie [1979] and HBO TV movie CinEuropean locations, most heavily during the filming of Philip Kauf- ema Verite [2011].” Echoing a common theme in California, Lewis says: “We can also man’s Hemingway & Gellhorn [2013]. Locations in that film doubled for Spain, Finland, Cuba, New York and Shanghai. We have a tradi- offer many unexpected types of locations that people don’t think tional downtown with stone buildings and narrow streets that can about being here: vineyards and wineries, motorcross and NASCAR tracks, high-tech industries and architecture (including Frank play as New York,” she says. In terms of how filmmakers feel about shooting in the city, she Gehry, Julia Morgan and Buckminster Fuller), old historic estates points to director Danny Boyle’s comments after shooting Steve and new luxury estates. In fact there is a lot of wealth throughout Jobs: “What’s not to like about San Francisco? It’s one of the most our county so in terms of shopping and supplies we can offer both cinematic cities in the world — the hills, the bay, the bridges, the the historic small-town experience as well as shopping at Tiffany’s, mist that comes in and hides the city and then reveals the city — it’s a Tesla dealership or whole foods.” The crew base is not as big as San Francisco but those that are so cinematic. It’s a delicious place to live, breathe and make a film. And the crews are great. To make a film here is a privilege and gift. there “run the gamut from wardrobe, to grip, to camera, line-producing, locations, lighting, sound and PAs. Around Lake Tahoe I’d do it again in a flash.” San Francisco’s offering is complemented and reinforced by the many of the crew have skills working in water, snow and extremes San Mateo County/Silicon Valley region, just south of San Francis- and the support equipment to make that happen. Because techLocationIntrntional2016.qxp_ArtDrectr1 04 3/29/16 4:27 PM Page 1
The Huntington Think Globally, Film Locally
Themed gardens, architecture, statuary | 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles
626.405.2215 FilmHuntington.org
2016
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