Nishitha Dutta
Created by Abby McEnany and Tim Mason, Showtime’s ‘Work in Progress’ is a semi-autobiographical series that follows Abby (McEnany herself), a self-identified “fat, queer dyke” woman, experiencing a profound state of crisis that slowly begins to consume her life. In addition to that, Abby is sick of living a life that is so painfully dull to the extent that she decides to kill herself in 180 days if things don’t improve.
The show portrays how societal expectations take a toll on a person once they are behind closed doors and the insecurities that come up as a result. If this accurate depiction of the problems and complications surrounding the modern age has grabbed your attention, here’s a bit of information on how the captivating visuals of ‘Work in Progress’ came into existence. Let’s take a look at the places where ‘Work in Progress’ is filmed!
Work in Progress Filming Locations
The first season of ‘Work in Progress’ was filmed around April 2019 through September the same year. The production for the second season was supposed to commence in late Summer 2020. However, it appears that the filming got delayed due to the global pandemic and reportedly began in early 2021. The show has been extensively shot over different locations in Chicago. Let’s dive into specific details!
Chicago, Illinois
The show has been filmed in the city of Chicago in Illinois, where the story is also set. Since it is inspired by co-creator Abby McEnany’s life, the production team actively moved across various locations in the Windy City. McEnany had shifted there around 1986, so filming seemingly took place in real locations consisting of mostly night interiors. The team also inserted soft LED lights in the background other than using “available light” to instill a subtle and authentic vibe.
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The crew additionally used special cameras designed to capture the essence of every scene in the show. For maximum accuracy, the production team utilized pre-visualization techniques using 3D software before shooting commenced. That way, the scenes would play out exactly the way they intended them to. Moreover, the writers’ room for ‘Work in Progress’ is situated in Chicago, which is amusingly unusual considering every show that films in Chicago including, ‘Chicago Fire‘ to ‘The Chi,’ stations its writers’ room in Los Angeles.
Season 1 was filmed in parts of Uptown, a historical residential area located in the Far North Side of the city. In September 2019, the crew was spotted outside The Baton Show Lounge at 4713 North Broadway, in Uptown’s entertainment district. The film crew trucks occupied Uptown’s street parking for a few days until the shooting finished in the area. The areas blocked by the production team include the north side of Lawrence Avenue from Broadway to Clifton Street, the east side of Broadway from Lawrence Avenue to Gunnison Street, and both sides of Broadway from Lawrence Avenue to Leland Avenue.
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As far as the second season goes, filming continued to take place in Chicago. The crew was spotted in Old Irving Park, a neighborhood within the Irving Park Community Area of Chicago. The area is popularly known for its pristine architecture and historical edge that attracts many tourists to date. Besides that, it is believed that Abby’s usual haunts defining most parts of the first season served as primary locations for the second season as well!
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Read More: Is Work in Progress Based on a True Story?
