There are lots of reasons to love San Diego, from the beautiful beaches to the delicious food options. The city has more to offer than just sun and burritos, though. It’s also a major hub for filmmakers and content creators. While Los Angeles might be the poster child for film towns, just a little way down the coast, there are plenty of movies filming in San Diego as well. With an active industry and vibrant creative community, it’s the ideal city for filming and production.
Diverse Landscapes and Filming Locations
There’s no beating the natural splendor of “America’s Finest City.” Movies filming in San Diego have access to gorgeous beaches, lush forests, serene city parks, and busy urban streets, all within city limits. Even if you’re looking for an environment not in the city, odds are it’s only a short drive away. With majestic mountains to the north and striking desert landscapes to the east, you can find any kind of exterior you might need.
If your project calls for interiors, the city has you covered there too. There are a number of soundstages and studios in town available to provide you with a purpose-built space for your production. Some even provide their own equipment rental services, saving you the trouble of having to find both a location and the gear you need to film.
Favorable Weather
For most jobs, bad weather is unpleasant and annoying. For film production, it can be disastrous. Rain or snow can severely delay shooting, costing time and money that a production may not have. One of the best advantages of movies filming in San Diego is that inclement weather is rarely a problem. In the mild Southern California climate, you can expect clear skies and average temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Since the climate is so consistent, you can plan out your shoot schedule without worrying too much about an unexpected weather delay. That climate is one of the major reasons the film industry made the move to the West Coast one hundred-some years ago! Rest assured, the weather in San Diego is as good as, if not better than, it is up in LA.
Film-Friendly Government
No production wants to spend its limited time and energy dealing with red tape. If you’ve ever had to apply for even the most basic filming permits, you know how onerous it can be.
To support the local film community, however, the governmental bodies in San Diego aim to make it as easy as possible for productions to operate within their jurisdictions. They are there to help provideinformation and assistance to productions both small and large, further fostering the community throughout the city and county.
Instead of endless roadblocks and byzantine paperwork, you can get the help you need to sort out any permitting or permissions you might need. From there, you can focus on getting your production off the ground.
Robust Production Infrastructure
Film production requires a specialized professional pipeline to function well. If you head out to a town with slim to no infrastructure already in place, a lot of your time is going to end up dedicated to building it yourself. Movies filming in San Diego don’t have to worry about starting the film industry from the ground up. They can reach out to the expansive local network of experienced film professionals and hit the ground running.
From camera operators to production sound mixers, from electricians to gaffers, you’ll be able to find everyone you need to fill out your crew. Need to rent some equipment or transportation? There are plenty of vendors able to meet your needs, whatever your budget is. Once you’re done filming, you’ll be able to find world-class editors who can help bring your project over the finish line. The infrastructure is all here; all you need to do is bring your idea.
Large Pool of Diverse Talent
Of course, an idea is only the seed of a production; you need actors to bring a story to life. If you plan to work with any Los Angeles–based talent, San Diego is only a two-hour drive south. If you’re still casting, though, you should give some serious consideration to local actors. As a major creative hub, San Diego has a huge pool of talent just waiting to be tapped into. Whether you’re working with a local casting director or handling auditions on your own, you’re sure to find the perfect person for any role.
In addition to having stellar acting chops, the talent here captures the real world around us. San Diego is a diverse city, and the local talent reflects that. Production experts strive to create work that embraces an inclusive ethos in order to speak to a broader audience. Movies filming in San Diego are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the extensive pool of talent that calls the city home.
Production Companies to Bring It All Together
Regardless of scale or experience, any film production is going to be a lot to handle. From scripting to shooting to exporting the final cut, there are a lot of plates that need to be kept spinning. Luckily, no one goes into filmmaking alone. It’s a collaborative art form, built on the community between so many different kinds of artists and tradespeople.
At the heart of that community are our local production companies. At Pretzel Logic Productions, we are proud members of our local film community. We work hand-in-hand with our clients, shepherding their projects along from beginning to end and connecting them with the best professionals the local film community has to offer. If you’re thinking about filming in the San Diego area, give us a call. We’ll show you everything the city has to offer and provide assistance along the way.