Naman Shrestha
Created by Travis Taute and Daryne Joshua, Netflix’s ‘Unseen’ is a South African crime thriller drama series that centers upon an unremarkable house cleaning lady named Zenzi Mwale, who has had a challenging and pain-stricken life. Things worsen when her husband disappears, and as she begins a desperate search for him, she gets pulled into the shady and underground world of a deadly crime syndicate. While looking for her husband, Zenzi gets blood on her hand when she accidentally kills a vital crime syndicate member. To survive, she must continue her killing streak as the gangsters close in on her.
It is easier for Zenzi to get away with the killings because she is a cleaning lady, which is a good cover story. The crime show features stellar onscreen performances from many talented actors, including Gail Mabalane, Brendon Daniels, Hein De Vries, and Waldemar Schultz. The thought-provoking thriller unfolds in Cape Town with dark visuals highlighting the themes of murder and the aesthetic landscape of the city masking the crimes. All these aspects can interest many viewers in knowing where ‘Unseen’ is filmed. If you are one such curious soul, we have you covered!
Unseen Filming Locations
‘Unseen’ is filmed entirely in South Africa, especially in and around Cape Town. The principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the crime thriller series reportedly occurred over three months in the summer of 2022. So, without further ado, let us walk you through all the specific locations that can be spotted in the Netflix show!
Cape Town, South Africa
Most of ‘Unseen’ is lensed in the oldest city of South Africa, Cape Town, with the production team setting up camp in various locales and utilizing suitable backdrops for the show. During the shooting schedule, the cast and crew are spotted taping several pivotal sequences in different suburbs across the city of Cape Town, including in Camps Bay, Fresnaye, Athlone, and Milnerton. A few other locations in and around the Cape Town City Centre also feature throughout the show. Moreover, some important scenes are recorded in Lavender Hill.
The real-life affiliations of some of the suburbs featured in the show with gangsters and crime syndicates add an extra bit of authenticity to the narrative, making the show all the more appealing and enthralling to the audience. Furthermore, as of 2022, Cape Town is one of the 50 most violent cities in the world, given its high murder and crime rate, mostly related to gang violence.
In a late March 2023 interview with IOL, the co-creator Travis Taute had some things to say about shooting the series in Cape Town. He said, “…It’s always a pleasure for us to be able to show off the various parts of this incredibly diverse city, which has so much to offer in terms of filming locations.” Over the years, Cape Town has hosted the production of numerous movies and TV shows that feature its unique locales. Some are ‘Hitman,’ ‘Lord of War,’ The Gunman,’ ‘Warrior,’ and ‘Homeland.’
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