Shot on location - Films and TV-series: 2024

The film INTO THE WILD is based on the true story of Chris McCandless. After completing his studies in history and anthropology in 1990, he decided to cut ties with his family. Dissatisfied with the materialistic life he had grown up in, McCandless gave his savings to charity and embarked on a journey across the United States.

Into the Wild, 0:51:55

After wandering through among others California, Arizona, South Dakota, Colorado, and Mexico, McCandless went to Alaska to venture into the wilderness. On 6 September 1992, a hunter discovered his lifeless body in an abandoned bus, used as a shelter by hunters and rangers. The cause of death was probably malnutrition combined with eating the roots of a poisonous plant.

Chris McCandless' life story is described in Jon Krakauer's 1996 book “Into the Wild”. He based it amongst others on journal entries and conversations with people Chris McCandless had met during his travels.

Balanced Rock, Marble Canyon, 9 July 2023

The book was adapted into a movie, which was filmed between 24 April and 4 November 2006 in eight states: Oregon, Arizona, Alaska, California, South Dakota, Nevada, Washington, Georgia and in Mexico. I previously blogged about the places Fairbanks and Healy in Alaska. During our trip across America in 2023, we visited Marble Canyon in Arizona where a short scene was filmed.

After working on a farm in South Dakota for almost a year, Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch) decides to travel by kayak down the Colorado River to Mexico. A popular place to start a boat trip is Lees Ferry in Marble Canyon. This campsite is not featured in the film but it is suggested that McCandless starts his boat trip here when he passes Balanced Rock. This rock is six kilometers (2.4 miles) from Lees Ferry and has its own page on the National Park Service website.

Into the Wild, 0:54:04

Marble Canyon, 9 July 2023

Into the Wild, 0:54:12

Balanced Rock, Marble Canyon, 9 July 2023

Not seen in the film but noteworthy: Marble Canyon is home to the California condor, an endangered species. We saw this bird sitting near the Navajo Bridge. The California Condor Conservation Project, a breeding programme in zoos is trying to increase the population. All birds have a number on the wing. Number T5 was born in captivity and released in the spring of 2018 at Vermillion Cliffs, not far from Marble Canyon.

Californian condor, Marble Canyon, 9 July 2023

Screenshots © Paramount Vantage/River Road Entertainment

With 279 episodes spread over 12 seasons, THE BIG BANG THEORY is one of the most successful American sitcoms. The series was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. The first episode was aired by CBS on 24 September 2007 and the final episode on 16 May 2019.

The seven protagonists of the show.

As I wrote in my blog post about Vasquez Rocks, the main characters are four friends who all work for the California Institute of Technology, better known as Caltech: Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar). Sheldon and Leonard share a flat; opposite them lives waitress and aspiring actress Penny (Kaley Cuoco).

From the third season, Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) become regular characters. The series is one of our favourite television programmes and not only ours as reruns are shown all over the world.

Warner Bros. Studios, 20 July 2023

Filming took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. As I wrote in previous blog posts, the studio complex can be visited during a studio tour, for more information check the website of Warner Bros. Studio Tour for current offerings. On arrival at the studios, we noticed that The Big Bang Theory along with Friends have been given a prominent place on the facade of the building of the parking lot where the tour starts.

Studio 25
Led by a guide, you and about 10 other visitors are driven around in an oversized golf cart past both the permanent film sets (the backlot) and the studio stages.

Embassy Courtyard, Warner Bros. Studios, 20 July 2023

Stage 25, Warner Bros.
Studio's, 20 juli 2023

Among other places, we stopped at Studio 25, built in 1935. As the plaque on the wall indicates, classics such as Casablanca and Blade Runner were filmed here, as well as The Big Bang Theory, in front of a live studio audience. In March 2019, during the filming of the final season, it was announced that the hitherto unnamed studio was named after the series and is now called The Big Bang Theory Stage. Apart from the name, nothing else reminds of the show. We went inside briefly, during our visit we saw the sets of the sitcom Bob ♥ Abishola. Taking photos was not allowed. Despite the guide's presence, we were turned away by a security guard...

Cast and crew at Stage 25, Warner Bros. Studios

Stage 25, Warner Bros. Studios, 20 July 2023

Studio 48
At the end of the tour, which lasted about two hours, we were dropped off at Studio 48: Script to Screen. As the title suggests, costumes, props and sets, among other things are exhibited to explain how films and series are made. Some sets of The Big Bang Theory are on display here: part of Sheldon and Leonard's living room, the lift with the apartments’ front doors and part of Caltech's cafeteria, with the addition of costumes worn by the actors.