Universal lot?
- Thread starter alveraz
- Start date
cyclone
Well-known member
It's a trip. There is a guard that stands at the fence separating the amusment park section from the stages. If you go up to him and tell him you're shooting, he'll let you into the park (and, of course, he'll let you return). He's there to make sure that no one in ther park passes through to the sound stages. He allowed my friends and I to immediatelty enter the Back To The Future attraction where there was a VERY long line. Their theory must be that they want to keep the filmmakers/cast/&crew happy. Also, look around in the parking lot. I pulled up and parked right next to the DeLorean from BACK TO THE FUTURE. Very sad, there it sits in the large backlot parking lot completely disregarded along with the other vehicles. Duct tape and cheap tubing dripping from the heat of the sun from what, on screen, was once the time travel device mounted on the truck. I snapped a quick picture of it with my Verizon phone. But be careful how you follow directions. I didn't and ended up driving down the winding path for the tour buses and was literally confronted with the parting-of-the-red-sea gag for the tour - No kidding. I had to back up. ALso, ask if you can wander the lot. At every turn, you'll recognize things like the steps where Cagney was mowed down in machine gun fire or the Western street for hundreds of westerns, or the plaza where Lon Chaney was tied up and ridiculed as the Hunchback of Notredame. I love it. I hope I never grow up - I'm in my 50's and can't get enough of it! Have fun!
I had the opposite experience. One day when making an applebox delivery to the grip department, we decided to venture into the park from the backlot to try out one of the new rides.
Upon exiting the ride we were escorted back onto the backlot and told not to trespass on the park side again! Being escorted to the part of the lot where all the talent, directors and liability is seemed a bit ironic to us.
Before we had legitimate access to the lot, we bumped into a famous director who was working on a feature on Brownstone Street. We didn't immediately recognize him, and when he and his lackies wanted to know who we were "with", we told him that we were "interested observers" and who was he? He replied, "I'm John Landis." Well, what do you do with that? We apologized and left his set.
On another late night foray, we delivered two dozen doughnuts to the security guards (cheap admission, easy targets) who were patrolling the Back to the Future II-dressed Courthouse Square sets. It was totally decked out with concept cars, Pepsi-Perfect vending machines and a few Deloreans. They had just wrapped an hour prior to our arrival. We spent a couple hours walking around with the guards never far behind. Proud and sad to say we did not steal a thing...
If you can, drive around the lot or ask a PA for a zip in a cart. You'll recognize Colonial Street and Industrial Ave. from The 'Burbs - both now dressed as Wisteria Lane for Desperate Housewives. Chris Elliott rode his bike up and down this street in his series too.
The Hitchcock Theatre is an amazing mixing stage to see if you can poke around there as well. Just don't make a nuisance of yourself around the Amblin complex - you might find yourself thrown off the lot or worse. Spielberg, for some ironic reason, doesn't like people sneaking around.
Upon exiting the ride we were escorted back onto the backlot and told not to trespass on the park side again! Being escorted to the part of the lot where all the talent, directors and liability is seemed a bit ironic to us.
Before we had legitimate access to the lot, we bumped into a famous director who was working on a feature on Brownstone Street. We didn't immediately recognize him, and when he and his lackies wanted to know who we were "with", we told him that we were "interested observers" and who was he? He replied, "I'm John Landis." Well, what do you do with that? We apologized and left his set.
On another late night foray, we delivered two dozen doughnuts to the security guards (cheap admission, easy targets) who were patrolling the Back to the Future II-dressed Courthouse Square sets. It was totally decked out with concept cars, Pepsi-Perfect vending machines and a few Deloreans. They had just wrapped an hour prior to our arrival. We spent a couple hours walking around with the guards never far behind. Proud and sad to say we did not steal a thing...
If you can, drive around the lot or ask a PA for a zip in a cart. You'll recognize Colonial Street and Industrial Ave. from The 'Burbs - both now dressed as Wisteria Lane for Desperate Housewives. Chris Elliott rode his bike up and down this street in his series too.
The Hitchcock Theatre is an amazing mixing stage to see if you can poke around there as well. Just don't make a nuisance of yourself around the Amblin complex - you might find yourself thrown off the lot or worse. Spielberg, for some ironic reason, doesn't like people sneaking around.
pookie_old
Veteran
I've shot on pretty much every part of the backlot there over the years, interesting enough place.
What you might need to understand, the backlot, for talent, isn't as accessable as you might hope.
What you might need to understand, the backlot, for talent, isn't as accessable as you might hope.
pookie_old
Veteran
A simple "trick" alvarez, try to look like you're going somewhere, and always carry some papers.
The wide eyed, mouth open look, is a sure "who the hell are you" magnet.
The wide eyed, mouth open look, is a sure "who the hell are you" magnet.
Try not to run over John Landis if you purloin a cart.
e
e