Tamal Kundu
Directed by Kitao Sakurai, ‘Bad Trip’ is a hidden-camera comedy film that tells the story of two friends, Chris Carey (Eric André) and Bud Malone (Lil Rel Howery), as they travel from their hometown in Florida to New York City so that Chris can ask out his high-school crush Maria Li (Michaela Conlin). Hot on their heels is Bud’s sister and convicted criminal Trina Malone (Tiffany Haddish), whose car the two friends have stolen. The film depicts their riotously funny misadventures and the pranks that the cast pulls on real bystanders.
Both Sakurai and the Director of Photography Andrew Laboy are André’s long-time collaborators, having worked on ‘The Eric Andre Show.’ So, they are very much familiar with André’s particular brand of physical comedy and the danger that obviously comes with it. If you are wondering which locations the filmmakers used to shoot this cross-country road comedy, here is what we know.
Bad Trip Filming Locations
The film took shape over the course of seven-and-a-half years. André, Sakurai, and Laboy shot the film in several locations in Georgia, New York, California, and South Carolina. Let’s take a look at the specific filming sites of ‘Bad Trip.’
Atlanta, Georgia
The production crew for ‘Bad Trip’ shot a significant portion of the film in Atlanta, Georgia. Colloquially called the Hollywood of the South, the capital city has a thriving film industry and has been a preferred destination for filmmakers for decades. While promoting the movie, André shared an incident in which he and Howery nearly got stabbed while filming a scene in Atlanta.
The two actors had their penises stuck inside a Chinese finger trap and ventured into a barbershop. This prompted the owner to pursue them with a knife. Eventually, the security had to step in. When the man learned that they were shooting a movie, he was much more accommodating. In another scene, André’s character gets violated by a gorilla in a zoo while the horrified real bystanders look on. Initially, this was set to be filmed at the Atlanta Zoo. But when the management learned the exact nature of the scene, they backed out. It was subsequently filmed in a zoo located in rural Georgia.
New York City, New York
Most of the last act of the movie is set in New York City. There are several shots of the famous New York skyline in the film. One of the most important cultural hubs in the world, New York has an entertainment industry that rivals the might of Los Angeles. ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ and ‘Jurassic World’ are some of the movies filmed in the Big Apple.
California
The cast and crew of ‘Bad Trip’ shot some scenes in the US state of California. As the Mecca of entertainment, Hollywood, is located in California, many of the world’s biggest studios are headquartered in the Golden State. Films like ‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ and ‘Avatar’ were shot there.
South Carolina
The Palmetto State also hosted the production crew for a while. In the past, ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘The Waterboy,’ and ‘Halloween (2018)’ were also filmed in South Carolina.
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