Overcompensating filming locations: Where was the Prime Video series filmed?

In its first season, Overcompensating split principal photography between Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Los Angeles, California, USA. Filming began on July 8, 2024, and wrapped on October 16, 2024. These two cities together doubled for the fictional Yates University campus, on- and off-campus life, and social scenes.

Toronto’s University of Toronto provided most of the campus backdrops, while Los Angeles supplied additional interiors and nightlife exteriors. This approach balanced authenticity, logistical efficiency, and cost savings.

Overcompensating filming locations: Where was the Prime Video series filmed? (Image via Youtube)

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Filming Timeline of Overcompensating

Principal photography officially ran from July 8, 2024, through October 16, 2024. During that period, the crew alternated between roughly eight-week blocks in Toronto and shorter shoots in Los Angeles. Early scenes in Overcompensating, such as campus introductions and first-day sequences, were filmed in the summer months when Toronto’s greenery and historic buildings were at their most photogenic.

By late September, production had moved to Los Angeles to capture indoor party sequences and off-campus social life. The wrap-up in mid-October allowed the team to finish any studio work under controlled conditions before post-production began.

Main Location of ***Overcompensating*: Toronto, Canada**

Toronto stood in for the core of Yates University, showcasing both grand exteriors and intimate campus moments. Most exterior quad, lecture hall, and dorm corridor scenes were shot at 27 King’s College Circle, the heart of the University of Toronto. The production used College Street and Queen’s Park Crescent for walking-and-talking shots, taking advantage of the Gothic-and-modern mix in those areas.

Landmark sites like Robarts Library and the Bahen Centre appeared in background frames, dressed to look like generic academic buildings. Local film crews handled permits, traffic control, and set dressing; helping the shoot stay on schedule and under budget.

Toronto was chosen not only for its architectural diversity but also for generous Canadian tax incentives for film and television productions. These incentives can reduce production costs by up to 25%, making the city an attractive stand-in for various U.S. locales. The University of Toronto campus offered a variety of looks, meaning fewer moves for cast and crew between sets.

Interiors that couldn’t be filmed on campus, like stylized dorm rooms or student lounges, were built on soundstages in nearby studios. This mix of real locations and studio work created a believable college atmosphere without sacrificing control over lighting and sound.

Support Location of ***Overcompensating*: Los Angeles, USA**

Los Angeles served as the hub for off-campus and nightlife sequences, as well as for soundstage interiors. Neighborhoods such as Echo Park and Silver Lake provided youthful street life and colorful murals that fit party and hangout scenes. Warehouse-style venues in downtown LA were dressed as college bars and clubs, allowing the filmmakers to shoot crowd scenes under one roof.

Producers also used soundstages in the San Fernando Valley area for controlled-environment builds, like student-union halls and late-night diner sets. Having these studio spaces nearby cut down on unpredictable weather delays that can plague outdoor shoots.

Los Angeles was selected because of its deep pool of experienced crew members, extensive studio availability, and reliable year-round climate. The city’s production infrastructure meant specialty equipment such as high-end lighting rigs and large-scale grip trucks was readily accessible.

This allowed the Overcompensating team to maintain high technical quality, especially for scenes requiring complex camera moves or night-for-day shooting. Working in LA also provided flexibility to squeeze in pick-up shots after the main shoot in Toronto wrapped.

Notable Production Note

Pop star Charli XCX joined the series not only as a guest actor but also as a music producer on select episodes. She arrived in Toronto in early September 2024 to film her cameo and to oversee recording sessions for the show’s soundtrack. Her involvement highlights Toronto’s role as the production’s creative heart, where both image and sound were crafted in tandem.

The choice to integrate her music work on location added authenticity to the campus radio and party scenes. Having an executive producer visit the set boosted morale and drew local press attention during the final weeks of shooting.

By blending Toronto’s versatile university settings with Los Angeles’s studio strength and vibrant street scenes, Overcompensating achieved a cohesive, believable college world. Toronto’s tax breaks and architectural variety allowed the crew to film most campus moments efficiently; while LA’s crews and stages handled complex interiors and nightlife shots.

This two-city strategy balanced authenticity with practical production needs, ensuring a smooth shoot from July 8 to October 16, 2024. The result is a series that looks and sounds like real college life, brought to screens starting May 15, 2025.