Westworld and Shooter filmed movie ranches near LA

Television dramas Westworld and Shooter have helped boost Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, by filming at local movie ranches.

By Nick Goundry 18 Jul 2016

Westworld and Shooter filmed movie ranches near LA
Westworld in California

Television dramas Westworld and Shooter have helped boost Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, by filming at local movie ranches.

Westworld (pictured) is a TV adaptation of the 1973 dystopian movie of the same name set in a malfunctioning futuristic theme park. Shooter is based on a 2007 Mark Wahlberg movie about a sniper framed for an assassination attempt.

Santa Clarita offers a series of movie ranches, facilities that offer standing sets and diverse outdoor environments specifically for TV and movie production purposes.

The town itself is within 30 miles of central Los Angeles and offers local filming incentives on top of California’s state production tax credit. As a result, Santa Clarita is one of the most popular filming spots in the whole of California, clocking up more than 1,300 location filming days in the last financial year and leading to a local economic impact of $30m.

“We’re excited Santa Clarita has retained its reputation as an ideal location for productions to film their projects,” said mayor Bob Kellar.

“We remain committed to making Santa Clarita a top choice for filming because the entertainment industry provides high-paying jobs and contributes significantly to our local economy.”

Westworld and Shooter were among the few TV dramas to be awarded tax credit support for filming on location in California.

The state now offers $330m a year in production tax credits, most of which is allocated to new TV productions and to incentivise shows that are returning to California after shooting a season elsewhere. Los Angeles remains the state’s filming centre, offering studio infrastructure and an extensive local crew base.

California’s appeal to big-budget movie productions remains limited, with better financial support available in Georgia, Louisiana and New York.

For more on filming in California see our production guide.

Image: John P Johnson/HBO

Santa Clarita offers a series of movie ranches, facilities that offer standing sets and diverse outdoor environments specifically for TV and movie production purposes.

The town itself is within 30 miles of central Los Angeles and offers local filming incentives on top of California’s state production tax credit. As a result, Santa Clarita is one of the most popular filming spots in the whole of California, clocking up more than 1,300 location filming days in the last financial year and leading to a local economic impact of $30m.

“We’re excited Santa Clarita has retained its reputation as an ideal location for productions to film their projects,” said mayor Bob Kellar.

“We remain committed to making Santa Clarita a top choice for filming because the entertainment industry provides high-paying jobs and contributes significantly to our local economy.”

Westworld and Shooter were among the few TV dramas to be awarded tax credit support for filming on location in California.

The state now offers $330m a year in production tax credits, most of which is allocated to new TV productions and to incentivise shows that are returning to California after shooting a season elsewhere. Los Angeles remains the state’s filming centre, offering studio infrastructure and an extensive local crew base.

California’s appeal to big-budget movie productions remains limited, with better financial support available in Georgia, Louisiana and New York.

For more on filming in California see our production guide.

Image: John P Johnson/HBO

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