“The Boys in the Boat,” a film that vividly depicts the amazing true story of the University of Washington rowing squad and their victorious pursuit of Olympic gold in the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, transports viewers to the era of the 1930s. The movie is based on Daniel James Brown’s best-selling book of the same name. It stars a great cast, including Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner, and was directed by the famous George Clooney.
There was a story called “The Boys in the Boat” about a group of working-class boys who went from being underdogs to champions. They did amazing things with the help of their teachers and the boatbuilder George Pocock. Before we talk about the specifics of the movie, let’s take a look at the beautiful places that served as the background for this cinematic masterpiece.
The movie recreates historical settings with great care, giving fans a visual feast that takes them to many places around the world. A lot of the filming for this biographical sports movie took place from March 2022 to July of that same year. Take a closer look at the places where the movies were shot:
The city of Los Angeles
The filmmakers took their production to Los Angeles, California, to get more scenes in the heart of the Hollywood business. Many great movies have been shot in and around Los Angeles’s fancy areas, famous landmarks, and beautiful beaches. The choice to include Los Angeles in the movie is in line with the city’s history as a center for great filmmaking.
The city of London
London, the city of England and the UK, with its rich history, was another important setting for “The Boys in the Boat.” The cast and team filmed important scenes in different parts of the city, which added to the overall immersive experience. London’s beautiful building and cultural importance add to the film’s visual story and take viewers back in time.
Other Places in England
English scenery, with its beautiful places, was a big part of drawing the story to life. A sound set with a full-size copy of the ASUW Shell House was built at the Upper Thames Rowing Club on Remenham Lane in Henley-on-Thames for filming to continue. The Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve in the Cotswold Water Park near Swindon was used as both the University of Washington Boathouse and the setting for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
The crew also used Winnersh Film Studios, which is located at 1020 Eskdale Road in Wokingham, Berkshire. With its six sound stages, production offices, and workshops, this studio had everything needed to bring different parts of the story to life.
Berlin, in Germany
The story of the movie goes to Berlin, which is the center of Germany, where more scenes were shot. From above, shots of the Olympiastadion Berlin at Olympischer Platz 3 showed how lively the 1936 Olympics were, making the stadium full of excited fans again. Berlin was used as a filming spot, which gives the movie an international feel and helps viewers understand how important the historical events shown were on a global level.
Filming “The Boys in the Boat” in different places around the world was a choice that the writers, including George Clooney and Joel Edgerton, thought about carefully. This is what Clooney and Edgerton said about their experiences with the filming process in an interview with Movie Web.
George Clooney, who directed and co-produced the movie, said that he loved every day on set. He talked about how fun and interesting it is to work in the movie business, saying, “I love every single day of going to work.” I like that we can still act like kids. Clooney talked about the problems that had to be solved, like the effects of COVID-19, but he also stressed that the team was strong enough to do it.
The actor Joel Edgerton, who plays Al Ulbrickson in the movie, talked about the best and worst days on set. He talked about how much fun the whole shoot was, saying, “The best days are a mix of all days.” It was a lot of fun to shoot. Everyone made everyone else feel good. Edgerton understood how hard it was, especially back when COVID-19 rules meant that some actors had to do acts by themselves.
Why George Clooney Didn’t Shoot “The Boys in the Boat” in Seattle
Even though there is a clear historical link between the University of Washington campus and the events in “The Boys in the Boat,” George Clooney chose not to film in Seattle. The choice was made because of several things, with the city’s rapid growth and changes since the 1930s being one of the most important.
In an interview at the Conibear Shellhouse, Clooney talked about the problems that came up when he thought about shooting in Seattle. The city had changed over time, and a lot of the original land had been built on. It was necessary to think about the cost since “The Boys in the Boat” wasn’t a high-budget movie. To get into the mood of the 1930s, the filmmakers needed to find places with rivers, lakes, and enough room to build the dock and shoot around it.
Another important thing that influenced the choice of filming site was the UK’s special tax credit. The U.K. offers a lot of financial support for movie projects, which let the team use their funds more efficiently than they could in Washington, D.C. The U.K. also has a lot of production tools and a large pool of local film crew and actors, so it was a practical choice for the production.
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