Prizmi Tripathi
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that 2018 was dominated by sensory deprived thrillers – John Krasinski and Emily Blunt’s ‘A Quiet Place‘ and Sandra Bullock’s ‘Bird Box.’ After all, there’s nothing more frightening or disconcerting than facing a fear that you can’t wholly sense. Both films received an explosive response from the audiences and critics alike.
However, ‘Bird Box’ garnered a huge buzz, as it gained the “best first-week” title (45 million subscriber accounts watched the film in 7 days) on Netflix, and also got caught up in a few controversies as the real-life implications of the movie turned fatal. Yeah, we are all familiar with what happened.
Adapted by ‘Arrival’ screenwriter Eric Heisserer from Josh Malerman’s novel of the same name, the dystopian thriller is helmed by ‘The Night Manager’ creator Susanne Bier. It stars Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, and Danielle Macdonald in pivotal roles. The Netflix original began streaming worldwide on December 21, 2018.
There’s a fear in not knowing what’s around the corner, and ‘Bird Box’ closes in on that fear. It depicts a mother’s ordeal, trying to save herself and her kids from a monster, who is never shown on screen. Anyone who looks at the monster with the naked eye is compelled to take their own life. The only way to survive this post-apocalyptic scenario is to wear a blindfold or, live your life blind. Wait, there’s more. If, by any chance, you survive, you are forced to see the invisible dark force, by a few people (exceptions!) who are infected but alive. Therefore, you also have to secure your compound from being trespassed by an enemy in disguise.
Apart from thematic horror and controversies, ‘Bird Box’ is also known for being visually stunning. We have got you covered in that regard, as we bring all filming locations for ‘Bird Box.’
Bird Box Filming Locations
The principal shooting of ‘Bird Box’ took place in locations spread across California and Los Angeles. The car crash scene was shot in Sierra Madre boulevard, while the scene that sees Tom, Lucy, and a few other survivors scouting for food and supplies in the Supermarket was shot in Saticoy Street, Canoga Park. Here are some of the most famous filming locations!
Smith River, California
Humboldt and Del Norte Counties have been prime filming locations for films like ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,’ ‘Jurassic Park: The Lost World,’ and ‘E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial.’
The location department of the film began scouting the area in mid-2017 and ended up on the shores of the hauntingly beautiful Smith River in Del Norte County, to shoot the trio’s heart-pounding journey to safety. The river, ideal for rafting fanatics, has no dams and is marked with dangerous rapids and waterfalls. The Oregon Hole Gorge, Red Canyons Of North Fork and the South Fork are some of the sections of the picturesque river. Don’t worry. You won’t actually meet up with a suicide-inducing entity here.
During the whole filming process, the local restaurants and lodges kept their businesses open to accommodate a unit of over 351 people, which in turn boosted the economy of the region. According to reports, The filming of ‘Bird Box’ along the river brought in a whopping sum of $997,900 to Del Norte County as well as $96,000 to Humboldt County.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California
Outlined by the Smith river, The park is located approximately 9 miles east of Crescent City. It is home to 9,500 acres of redwood trees, including the world’s massive coast redwood.
The primary forest scenes were shot in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park near Crescent City. However, towards the end of the filming schedule, some scenes re-shot at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The park has also served as a filming location to films like ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ and ‘A Wrinkle in Time.’
Monrovia, Los Angeles
Situated on the corner of North Canyon Boulevard and East Greystone Avenue, the ‘Bird Box House’ became a common place in the quiet town of Monrovia, Los Angeles, after the release of the film. Hordes of fans flocked to see the House where Malorie, Tom, and other characters in the film hole up and hide to escape the suicide-inducing creatures.
Thankfully, the owner confirmed that everyone, who stopped by to take a picture with the now-famous house, has been very polite, with some even asking for permission to click pics by knocking on the door. Fun fact: They brought their own blindfolds!
According to reports, Netflix’s production team paid the owner a sum of $12k, to use the exterior shots of their property. Reports also state that the home has been featured in over 3 films in the last 20 years, names of which, the owner fails to remember. However, it’s not news that Monrovia homes and commercial zones have been featured in many films in the past, such as ‘American Pie,’ ‘Legally Blonde,’ and ‘Never Been Kissed.’
Scripps College, Claremont
The scene towards the very end of the film were filmed in the Scripps College in Claremont. If you’ve watched the film, you may know the exact scene we’re referring to.
The ‘Bird Box’ team, transformed the college into a heavenly garden that protects its residents from the evils of the outside world. It took the production unit, 36 hours to process the educational campus into the Janet Tucker School. They wrapped filming in three days.
So now that you know the all the ‘Bird Box’ filming locations, when are you booking your tickets to explore them?
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