FAMILY STYLE IN CALIFORNIA:
LOCATION OPTIONS
OPTION #1: PIONEERTOWN
travel time: 3hrs from la
accommodation: pioneertown motel
The Motel at Pioneertown is a good option for accommodation, however everything nearby is set up as an Old Western town and does not have the landscapes we require for the shoot. The rest of Pioneertown and the nearby landscapes are all private property, so we would need to rent a separate location for the shoot. There are no parks or permits available for Pioneertown, everything is on private property.
PRIVATE PROPERTIES NEAR PIONEERTOWN
house #1
travel time: 3hrs from la
accommodation: 3 bedrooms
This home is 20 mins from the Pioneertown Motel and has massive rock formations and Joshua Trees on the 43-acre property.
This home also backs onto public land which is part of the Sand To Snow National Monument, where there are roads and trails that lead to even more rock formations.
I have personally spent time living in this area and I know the roads and trails nearby. If we stayed at this house we would be able to explore the incredible landscapes nearby while remaining close to the comfort of the house.
I have contacted the owner and requested more info on a package deal for accommodation + location.
Stand by for pricing info
house #2
travel time: 3hrs from la
30 mins from pioneertown motel
accommodation: 2 bedrooms
This home sits on 10 acres of incredible landscapes and rock formations, with countless options for shooting which are all close to the stylish, air-conditioned house.
#3: boulder gardens sanctuary
travel time: 3hrs from la
30 mins from pioneertown motel
(no accommodation)
This is a 640-acre eco-retreat with a huge range of desert landscapes and rock formations.
There are buildings, shelters and shaded areas around the property, but no air conditioned buildings and no accommodation.
travel VS la
A key decision will be whether we want to travel outside of LA for this shoot or stick to a location near Los Angeles.
The locations we’ve discussed (Pioneertown, Joshua Tree or Salton Sea) are all 3+ hours from LA, which means we would need to pay local crew for travel, plus meals and accommodation. Before we can do a full estimate for the potential costs, we need to narrow down which locations we like and most importantly, whether we want to travel or not.
option #2: closer to los angeles
LOCATION 1: VASQUEZ ROCKS
TRAVEL: 1hr FROM LA
Vasquez Rocks is a famous park that can be permitted for productions. We would need to rent a motorhome to be on-site as there are no buildings nearby.
The deadline for a permit application will be Sunday 11th August at 5pm.
LOCATION 2
travel: 45 mins from la
note: the landscapes here will have less green than these images due to the summer heat
location 3
travel: 1hr from la
location 4
travel: 1hr from la
note: we are using the original creative references and doing our best to match.
However, if there is flexibility on the creative, this will open up a lot more locations in los angeles
SALTON SEA
Unfortunately, the Salton Sea will not be a feasible option for this shoot. Not only will it be 45° and dangerous conditions due to the heat, the water has evaporated so much that the whole area smells like dead fish and the air quality is considered dangerous.
“As California’s largest lake has continued to evaporate, it’s become saltier and dustier, causing breathing problems for locals. Alongside the health problems is what is described as a “putrid dead smell” emanating constantly from the water”
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-08-06/the-salton-sea-smellier-and-saltier-than-ever
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/salton-sea-smells-more-new-research-shows-19616340.php