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Animal Kingdom was almost entirely filmed in Oceanside, California, with some filming in Los Angeles, which also included production in the studio. The opening scenes of the TNT crime drama clearly depict the filming locations.
The series presented the actual Southern California coastal streets, residential areas, and public parks for six seasons.
From a location perspective, the biggest factor making Animal Kingdom so attractive is that the location completely fits the plot. The series has not used the manner of exaggerated visuals or heavily stylized environments, but rather real places that look and feel alive to its characters.
The audience inside the same visual world as the characters is gradually accustomed to the same beaches, streets, and houses as the show moves on, thus strong visual continuity that is in accordance with the realism of the narrative is created.
Oceanside, California: The main filming location for Animal Kingdom
The main filming location of the series, the coastal city, was Oceanside, California, San Diego County. The ocean town was the main real-world location for the imaginary beach town of Newport, where the series was set. Rather than shooting in various cities and mixing their views, the production was heavily dependent on Oceanside to keep showing the same setting as the show.
Official references from both tourism and production state that dozens of scenes were shot throughout the seasons in the city. The Oceanside city layout, with its combination of beaches, residential, commercial, and transportation hubs together, made it suitable for the exterior scenes of different kinds. This, in turn, helped the show retain its visual thread throughout the story in different storylines and periods.
Cody family home and residential neighborhoods
The Cody family house, which is crucial to Animal Kingdom, is also one of the most photographed places in the whole park. The house exterior appeared in sequences shot at a real residential unit in Oceanside. Besides, many other parts of the city and the neighborhood were seen in the movie.
The interior of the house was completely finished inside the studio, while the exterior became part of the cinematography. This way, the series would maintain authenticity with the original site and, at the same time, meet all the technical filming requirements.
Using a real neighborhood area as opposed to a custom-made set worked for the realism in Animal Kingdom, and furthermore, the viewer accepts the premise that the narrative is set in a real living community.
Coastal areas and oceanside beaches
Beaches are a recurrent visual theme in Animal Kingdom, and the majority of the filming of these scenes was done in the coastal area of Oceanside. The city’s beaches gradually become a part of the series, taking place in both major and transitional moments, often used to set the mood or mirror shifts in character relationships.
Oceanside Pier, a symbol of the city, is shown many times. The show is also shot around the beach, like at boardwalks and the paths along the shoreline. These locations were not heavily dressed for the shoot, and they look largely like what they do in reality.
By shooting in populous public beachfront areas, Animal Kingdom not only proclaims but also reinforces its affiliation with an authentic Southern California setting as opposed to a romanticized or ideal one.
Public spaces and local businesses
Animal Kingdom not only has its residences and beach, but also quite a lot of the areas are in public places around Oceanside. Public parks, parking lots, streets, and facilities are all part of the scenes.
One outstanding spot is the Oceanside Transit Center, where various scenes were shot. The series also included the local businesses, like restaurants, bars, and shops. Instead of building sets, they used real, operating locations that gave the show’s setting a great deal of authenticity.
By using these ordinary places over and over again, the characters are presented as members of a larger community rather than being trapped in a fictional bubble.
Filming beyond Oceanside: Los Angeles and studio work
Animal Kingdom made Los Angeles, California, one of its filming locations, apart from Oceanside. Some scenes called for controlled environments that, logistically, were not easy to do on location.
Most of the interiors were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. They used the studio to build sets for areas like living rooms, offices, and other interiors that were going to be used frequently and needed to remain consistent throughout a number of seasons. Filming in the studio gives you much greater control over lighting and scheduling.
There were also outdoor scenes that were shot in different parts of Southern California when it was hard to find locations in Oceanside or when particular story requirements of different environments arose.
All six seasons consistent
Among the various elements that define the Animal Kingdom filming technique, the biggest one is consistency. The visual representation of the series through Oceanside was preserved from the very first season, right through the last episodes. This standstill is visible to the audience who have been following the show, even if they have not specifically recognized the locations.
Through constant filming in the same city and at several of the same locations, Animal Kingdom gets rid of one of the major problems associated with the production's moving around a lot: the visual inconsistency. The use of familiar places is one of the major aspects that helps the audience perceive the time flow in the same physical world.
Why are the locations important for the story?
The production areas of Animal Kingdom are not making a statement about their existence. They are rather acting as a neutral backdrop that renders the story possible. The streets, the houses, and the beaches are looking ordinary rather than dramatic, which is consistent with the show’s realistic storytelling style.
Selecting to shoot in actual places allows the series to draw a picture of the mainstream character of coastal Southern California life.
In short, the primary location for Animal Kingdom shooting is Oceanside, California, while the remaining scenes are shot in Los Angeles, among them, Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. The production had excellent access to actual beaches, neighborhoods, public spaces, and businesses to create a place that is reliable and realistic.
Instead of building a fake world, the real places took the lead in the visual aspect of the series. This dedication to truth can be perceived in the entire show and is, thus, one of the main characteristics of the production design.
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For those who are watching the series again, it will be helpful to know where Animal Kingdom was filmed so they can easily see the impact of actual locations on the series' timelessness.
Also read: Animal Kingdom star says he did not like the season 6 series finale, details explored
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