As part of our on-going series on location video shoots, we look at beautiful Irvine, California.
Everyone of course knows about Los Angeles and all of the various amenities and infrastructure available to video and film producers, but just about an hour south is a city that offers great opportunities for video production.
Irvine used to be a sleepy little suburban college town. A few decades ago, it didn’t offer much for anyone. It had the University at the center, a couple of phony lakes, acres of orange groves and strawberry farms, and tracts of boring earth-toned cookie-cutter houses.
I grew up in Irvine, and as a kid, I wanted nothing more than to leave it. After high school, I spent a couple decades seeking the vibrancy of major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. When I came back to Irvine to establish our Southern California office, I quickly realized it was a great place for video production.
Here are a few reasons why Irvine is a great place for video production.
Irvine is a safe place to shoot videos
As a producer, you have to consider just about everything before choosing a location. Something that may seem small – if overlooked – may result in major issues on set. So when we have the choice, we always look for a place that will make things easy for everyone.
Irvine is consistently rated as one of the safest places in the United States. Having shot at less-safe places like Richmond, East Palo Alto (back in the day), and San Francisco’s Tenderloin, a safe place is not to be taken for granted. When you have a camera and gear worth well into six figures, you want to shoot at a safe place if you have the choice. It means peace of mind, but also less budget allocated to crew and security personnel. We’ve all heard stories of crews getting robbed and worse – all of that is less of a concern shooting in a place like Irvine.
Irvine has video production support infrastructure
Of course, nothing compares to Los Angeles, but Irvine and nearby south Orange County cities provide studio, crew and gear options for video producers. In Irvine and within ten miles of the city, there are a dozen various sound stages and grip and lighting rental houses.
One of our favorite grip and lighting company is Waywest, located just 5 minutes from Irvine.
There are also many crew options in the area, many of whom have years of experience in Hollywood.
Irvine provides many different video shoot location options
Irvine has a wide range of diverse shooting locations. For corporate video shoots, there’s a vibrant tech and business district where you can find all types of different office settings. At the westside near the John Wayne Airport are some of the older business buildings. In the east is the city’s tech center where giant corporations like Blizzard has its headquarters. On this side of town include some of the more modern and open-space office environments.
They city also boasts the Spectrum, a vibrant shopping district if you need to capture busy crowds, and of course the University of California, Irvine, which has become one of the most prestigious universities in the country. The six major high schools in the area offer many different looks for directors to choose. In fact, many years ago, the skating film, Gleaming the Cube, starring Christian Slater was shot in my alma mater, Woodbridge High School, because it looked different and modern than some of the other high schools in the Los Angeles area.
Irvine also has several large parks including aptly-named Great Park and the Irvine Regional Park nearby. It also has several hills, wildlife refuge areas, and the ocean is just fifteen minutes away.
The City of Irvine makes it easy for video shoots
Film permits are reviewed within a few days and at about $100, it won’t break your budget.
This master-planned city has wide streets and parking is usually free and plenty. There are many food options at every block. Again, any one of these things may seem like a small detail, but for a producer, it’s one less thing to worry about.
And of course, the weather is almost always amazing.
As a kid, I found Irvine to be incredibly boring, but as a video producer, it’s a great place for shooting videos. Our office is located in the heart of Irvine and we’re fully licensed and insured to shoot in the city. So next time you need to shoot your corporate or commercial video, contact us here at Picturelab and shoot it in Irvine.