Naman Shrestha
David F. Sandberg sat on the director’s chair for the first time for the feature film ‘Lights Out,’ based on his own 2013 eponymous short film. The supernatural horror movie revolves around Rebecca, who leaves home and believes she has outgrown her childhood fears for good. When she was a young girl growing up, she had a tough time knowing what was real and what was not, especially when the lights went out at night. Now, Rebecca’s little brother, Martin, goes through similar horrific and terrifying experiences that once haunted her.
Due to some attachment that the supernatural entity has with the siblings’ mother and driven by vengeance, it is back to making life a living hell for the entire family. Starring Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Billy Burke, and Maria Bello, much of the 2016 supernatural movie unfolds in different locations, including Rebecca’s apartment and Martin’s school. Besides, the dark visuals add to the horror ambiance.
Where is Lights Out Filmed?
‘Lights Out’ was filmed in California, especially in Los Angeles County. As per reports, the principal photography for the horror movie commenced in June 2015 and wrapped up in early August of the same year. A split-screen technique was used to capture the special effects of having the ghost appear and disappear, also used in the short film. Now, without much ado, let’s navigate all the specific locations where the evil spirit lurks in the shadows and haunts Rebecca and Martin!
Los Angeles County, California
To tape most of the pivotal sequences for ‘Lights Out,’ the production team set up camp in various sites across Los Angeles County. The building at 5601 North Figueroa Street in Los Angeles stood in for Rebecca’s apartment building in the movie. As for the scenes involving Martin’s school Palmeri Elementary, they were lensed in Aldama Elementary School at 632 North Avenue 50 in the same city.
The locales of the Highland Park neighborhood also feature heavily in several vital portions of the movie. For instance, the apartment that doubled for Sophie and Martin’s house is located in the area, particularly at 140 South Avenue 59. Moreover, the filming unit of ‘Lights Out’ utilized the facilities of Warner Bros. Studios at 4000 Warner Boulevard in the city of Burbank.
The exterior scene portraying the outside of a factory building right at the beginning of the movie was reportedly shot within the premises of the film studio. Established in 1926, it is home to 37 sound stages of different sizes, ranging from 6,000 to 32,000 square feet, 4.2 million square feet of production office space, and various exterior sets. All these amenities make Warner Bros. Studios a suitable shooting spot for different productions.
Situated in Southern California, Los Angeles consists of numerous iconic landmarks you might spot in the backdrop of a few scenes, including the Hollywood Sign, the Venice Canal Historic District, the U.S. Bank Tower, Hollywood Boulevard, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Over the years, the city’s locales have been featured in numerous movies and TV shows besides ‘Lights Out.’ Some notable ones include ‘Nope,’ ‘Constantine,’ ‘The Shining,’ ‘Dracula,’ and ‘American Horror Story.’
