LA - What to see?

[no_one119]

I'm off to California for three weeks at the weekend and one place I'm visiting LA.

What are the film sights in LA to see?



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[acdop]

Get round to the LA film office (look them up in the phone book) where you can get a full and I mean full, list of shoots happening that day. This will include all features, videos, TV series, photo shoots, etc.You name it, it will be on the list as long as it is not in one of the studios. Having visited all the locations you can, try the Warners tour, expensive but informative, and v. interesting. A good book shop will have books that show where many famous films and TV shows locations were, dating back many years. Try MoleTown, the Mole-Richardson shop, in La Brea. The American Society of Cinematographers Club House in North Orange Drive, has an extensive cinematography reference library, ring for an appointment. Visit the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, not only the major location in Rebel Without a Cause, but also the best free view of LA there is. Venice Beach was the location for Orsen Welles' Touch of Evil, though you'd be hard pressed now to tell. LA is full of movie sights if you hire a car, do some research and look for them. You cant drive far in LA without seeing the trucks and parking restrictions that show there's a feature being shot.
Enjoy your trip
acdop.

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[Matt J Heaton]

Where is the best non-free view? I've seen loads of photos of the view from the observatory and its the most incredible city view I've seen, truely awesome.

Apparently a scene frm Terminator was filmed at the observatory, I'm not sure which one though.

The Korean Bell is worth a visit. It was in Usual Suspects among others.

I've also been told that a good place to shoot a movie is at a place called Ocean Trails, it has really good lighting when the sun sets.

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[slickard]

Ok,I'm gonna let all you English chaps on a little secret because I like all of ya so very much: you can walk into just about any Hollywood studio for free, that's right FREE!

Paramount,Warner bro's, Sony and believe it or not Universal are very easy to get into and you can quite literary walk right through the gates. The chances are extremly slim that you'le be stopped but if it worries you bring an envelope with the name of a production company written on it.That way incase it dose happen you can say your delivering a package. But like I said, the chances are very slim as the studios rent out space to hundreads of production companies so people are going in and out all the time and so long as you "look" like you belong( IE no hawaiian shirts, taking snap shots,bothering people for autographs ) you be fine and get to see a lot of the inner workings of a big studio.

PS- the only studio that is hard to get into is Disney. Their security is pretty tight and being that their is less foottraffic on the lot people are more inclined to notice you. For some reason their a little paranoid at the Mouse..LOL!



[This message has been edited by slickard (edited September 02, 2001).]

[SouthWalesFilmClub]

This is correct. I have had a wander around Warner Bros. and Universal (Spielberg's Amblin bungalow is heavily guarded). Over here, Pinewood and Shepperton are extremely easy to get into. However, if you do get caught you can get into serious trouble, and more so in Hollywood. I got thrown off "Mummy Returns" set last year and the director called the cops minutes before I left.

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[This message has been edited by SouthWalesFilmClub (edited September 02, 2001).]

[slickard]

Sure, stuff like that can happen, especialy if their shooting a big picture.They can be very paranoid and aggressive to people who arn't invovled in the production-as well as people who are!But even if they do call the cops their not going to throw you into jail. People stumble on shoots all the time and as long as you don't do something stupid, they're just going to ask you to leave. It's not a big deal.

But like I said,if you don't act like a torrist, have a "reason" for being there in the first place.You'le probably be fine.



[This message has been edited by slickard (edited September 02, 2001).]

[LAmind]

So, even if there is a guard sitting at the....toll booth or whatever, he probably won't stop to interigate you? or are we talking about literalyl sneaking into a studio?

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"A place for everything and everything in it's place".