Naman Shrestha
Written and helmed by Castille Landon, ‘Summer Camp’ is a comedy movie about the reunion of old childhood friends during a summer vacation. Ever since their early days, Nora, Mary, and Ginny have shared a close-knit bond with each other, spending every summer vacation each year without fail at a sleepaway camp. However, after stepping into adulthood and motherhood, the opportunities to spend time with one another have naturally reduced for obvious reasons. Decades pass without the trio meeting for the summer camp.
Years later, when the golden opportunity for a reunion arises, they don’t think twice about it. Accepting the chance with different levels of enthusiasm, the three childhood friends are in for a hilarious yet adventurous summer. Featuring stellar performances from some of the veteran actors, including Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Beverly D’Angelo, Nicole Richie, Josh Peck, Betsy Sodaro, Dennis Haysbert, and Eugene Levy, the movie is set against the backdrop of an adventure-filled summer camp with loads of different activities in several interesting sites.
Where Was Summer Camp Filmed?
Production of ‘Summer Camp’ took place in different locations across North Carolina, primarily in Henderson County. Besides that, a few chunks of the film were also shot in Wingate and Bryson City. Principal photography of the comedy movie reportedly commenced in April 2023 and wrapped up in more than a month, in late May of the same year. According to reports, more than 1,000 local extras were hired for the production.
Henderson County, North Carolina
A majority of ‘Summer Camp’ was lensed in Henderson County, which lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina. The production team set up camp in an actual summer camp — Camp Pinnacle at 1 Wolfe Lake Drive in the city of Hendersonville, the county seat of Henderson County. Speaking to Times-News, the producer, Dori Rath, revealed that she went through over 200 summer camps across the nation out of approximately 14,500 total summer camps before deciding on Camp Pinnacle. She said, “Camp Pinnacle stood head and shoulders above the rest when it came to production value and a rich, cinematic landscape with exceptional activities-based structures, like their Sky Ropes course.”
Elaborating further, Dori stated, “So, Camp Pinnacle definitely brought us to town … but the incredibly welcoming local businesses and people in Flat Rock and Hendersonville are keeping us happy here.” Camp Pinnacle is known to provide a safe and exciting summer getaway with different kinds of outdoor activities, including sports and rafting, most of which are showcased in the film. The school scenes involving the childhood of the three friends were taped in the Blue Ridge Community College at 180 West Campus Drive in the village of Flat Rock. Several pivotal sequences were also recorded in and around the Pardee UNC Health Care at 709 North Justice Street in the city of Hendersonville.
The cast and crew members of ‘Summer Camp’ were also spotted lensing important portions at Shoal Creek Farm on Sky Valley Road in Hendersonville. Besides the grasslands, Shoal Creek also consists of a cottage and provides the boarders easy access to Dupont Forest. Apart from the Eugene Levy starrer, the locales of Henderson County have been featured in numerous film and TV projects. Some of the notable ones include ‘Heavyweights,’ ‘Heavy Campers,’ and ‘This Is Space Force.’
Other Locations in North Carolina
Apart from Henderson County, the cast and crew of ‘Summer Camp’ moved to several other areas in North Carolina for shooting. In particular, Wingate University at 211 East Wilson Street, located in the town of the same name in Union County, is also one of the filming sites of the movie. Since Nora, Ginny, and Mary’s reunion largely takes place in a summer camp, it seems ideal that the private liberal arts university was chosen to serve as the backdrop for a few scenes.
In addition to that, a minor portion of the filming was also carried out at Nantahala Outdoor Center at 13077 Highway 19 West Bryson City in Swain County. Located along the Nantahala River Gorge and dubbed “one of the best outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure, the outdoor recreation company is renowned for providing excellent Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking experience. The team also visited the vibrant city of Asheville, also known as the Land of the Sky, in Buncombe County to lens the lighthearted comedy-drama film.
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