How about a bit more Euphoria S3 locations chat? One of my absolute favorite locations that I helped scout, the ominous Hotel Los Gatos, was also the most surprising for me to see on screen…because I thought it’d been rejected!
In the show, Alamo sends some of his crew to a medical clinic in Mexico to facilitate a drug run. We cast a wide net for medical clinic options, and I was sure I’d found the winner when I passed the gorgeous Edificio Toscano building, in the South Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Built in 1928, I loved everything about it – the worn stucco, the beautiful balconies, the triple pane windows, the existing signage…
In my mind, all we had to do was pick a storefront, dress it as a medical clinic, and we had our location. Done and done!
So I went back with the production designer and location manager, who stared at it and said, “OK, that’s good…but what about that actual medical clinic next door?”
Fantastic. This is the nightmare for every location scout, where you take the VIPs by a location only to have them look around and say, “well, there’s a much better option!” All you can do is hide your embarrassment for having missed it and say that you’ll try to clear it for filming.
Now, obviously, “better” is extremely subjective, and entirely depends on how you’re going to play the scene in question. What I hadn’t realized is just how important the conversation in the parked ambulance was, and looking back, it’s a no-brainer that you needed a clinic exterior with a parking lot in front (I had originally thought they’d just be parked curbside).
In the end, it all worked out. The clinic was willing to allow filming, and so we had our location. But still…as a scout, it stings when you miss something so damn obvious! Ah well…I’d just have to remember ol’ Edicificio Toscano for a future production.
And then, I’m watching the episode, and…holy shit!
There’s the little Edifico Toscano and it looks SO. DAMN. GOOD!
As I’ve mentioned before, once a location is chosen, I’m on to the next search, and rarely hear how the filming actually goes. So I was beyond thrilled to see the building I thought had been firmly eliminated makes its on-screen debut as the absolutely iconic Hotel Los Gatos, with Bishop getting an epic hero shot on the balcony…
…and even a walk down the upstairs corridor:
As I’ve said many times before, filmmaking is the consummate collaborative art form, and I’ve long found that the most successful are those who somehow manage be both passionate about their ideas, and yet not precious. Because in the end, it’s not about who “got it right” – it’s about how you helped pave the way.
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