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I haven't posted recently b/c I've been in another period of really poor health. I've been stuck in bed and unfortunately none of my neighbors have the common decency to leave their wireless networks unsecured. Anyway, my health's been so bad that I've decided that I need to make it my priority, so unless something unexpected develops, I'm moving to Albuquerque to stay with family and hopefully get all better. I'm not sure when I'm moving, but until I do (and as health allows), I've decided to do something which isn't remotely geeky – visit as many BtVS shooting locations as I can.

I decided to do this after I looked them up on-line and realized that there was one just two blocks away from my house: The Rose Garden at the California Science Center, which was used in Inca Mummy Girl. And I've driven by two others a ton of times: the cemetery used in most of the real cemetery shots (just a little ways up Normandie), and the Hyperion Hotel from AtS (which is right on Wilshire). Others I'd already been to and recognized as I watched the show (UCLA, Third Street Promenade, Cal State Northridge, Santa Barbara). And to top it off, I've already eaten at Doublemeat Palace! Or rather, the coffee shop which was used for the exterior shots. Anyway, I had no idea at the time I was there.

I'll take along my crappy camera and take photos, and then try to do something interesting with them. For time and health reasons, I know I won't be able to visit all of them. Driving takes a real toll on me, so I won't get up to Santa Barbara, the place where they shot the desert scenes, or anything else that's too far away.

I've already gone and photographed The Rose Garden and the Hyperion. I just saw a website from someone who was at the Rose Garden just a couple days before me and took photos. If other people are doing it, it can't be too geeky, can it? I think in general, I'll focus on scenes from the last 3 seasons first and work back if I have time. But there's some I'll definitely do (SHS, Buffy's house, Angel's mansion, the park where Tara sang, the cemetery, etc.). I'll also try to do some more obscure ones, which I haven't seen on the web. For example, I think the swimming pool scenes for Go Fish were filmed at a pool at USC, which is, again, just a couple blocks from my house. If I'm feeling particularly geeky, I may even try to take photos which match up with some of the most important scenes.

If anyone has any requests, whether for general locations or specific scenes, let me know and I'll try to oblige. I'm not planning on doing any other AtS locations, unless someone has a really good suggestion. Oh - I can do the big kiss from "I Will Remember You", since the Santa Monica Pier is just a couple blocks away from the Third Street Promenade.

Now, I'll try to catch up with all the posting.

When in Torrance for SHS and the House, check out 18411 Crenshaw Blvd, right next to the 405 freeway. Used as exterior for Sunnydale City Hall in Season 3. It was a public elementary school until 1980(?) and then converted to office building, but still has that public building feel.


Google Map

If you click on the "street view" of the location and head south and look right, you will see it. You can sort of see the building through the trees on first click.


Tom

Was wondering where you were. Sorry to hear about your health problems (And, geez, what's up with people and their secured wireless networks? Just not generous, that's what). Sending general well-wishes your way.

And taking pictures of Buffy locations doesn't make you a geek. It makes you an amateur photographer with a particular interest in television location shots to post for a limited audience. That being said, I'm not up on the locations there so I don't have any requests, per se, but I'd love to see whatever you manage to get.

I wish you the best on getting well, Andrew Kern, I look forward to the pictures.

Thanks for the wishing of wellness. I talked with my doctor about a surgical option, but though it's called a minor surgery, I can't overcome the cognitive dissonance involved in the combination of the words "minor" and "cutting open skull." Plus, I've read a ton of clinical studies on it and the basic conclusion seems to be "maybe it works, maybe it doesn't - and if it does, we have no idea why." Anyway, he says I don't need it - which is cool for him to say b/c he's evidently the expert in the country on the procedure.



I think I'll put that on a business card: "Andrew Kern: Amateur Photographer with a Particular Interest in Television Location Shots to Post for a Limited Audience (NOT a geek)." Though it might be kind of a wordy way to introduce myself at parties.

Yeah, but chicks will love it.

When I went to LA Tabz and I did a little Buffy tour and did just that. We went to Torrance and saw the house and the HS. Sat on the bench where Buffy has lunch with Willow and generally geeked out (much to the annoyance of the students trying to film something there). It was awesome, and the highlight of the trip, even if Tabz wouldn't let me sneak into the backyard of the house.

We also saw the pier where Angel gives Buffy the ring and it's also where Faith and Buffy have a fight (the scene with the cool looking disc-like knife in the credits?). That's further south (San Pedro) but she happened to live nearby.

So even if it's geeky, I think it's a neat idea. Oh! you can also visit the mansion that Angel, Dru, and Spike hole up in in S2. I guess there's a campaign to save it.

Sorry to hear about your health issues though Andrew, best wishes and hopefully New Mexico will be a good thing (it's amazing there).

I really wanted to tour the locations when I was in California, but unfortunately never got the chance to, so you must do it for the both of us! Hopefully I'll get my chance to someday. I look forward to seeing your pics. And I agree that it's not geeky. Just enthused.

Sorry for your health problems. A change of scenery and pace will surely at the very least ease your problems.

Have fun with the shooting locations, that sounds like a lot of fun! And I am sorry that you are not in good health. I hope that things get better for you soon.

I'd like to ditto what everyone else has said. I hope you get better Andrew!

wilpy1 wrote:

I don't know. That would make me an "enthusiast," which sounds like what a 50 year old guy with a model train set filling up his basement calls himself. I'm comfortable with "geeky," especially considering how much fun I'm having.

Anyway, I've done a couple trips to visit locations in the last week. First I went to the cemetery. It took a while but eventually I figured out that I'd need to know more than "Buffy walks past a big tombstone, then another one" if I was actually going to find any of the locations. I spent a lot of time looking for the sarcophagus Buffy lies on when she's getting psychoanalyzed by Holden in CWDP, but it turns out that was a prop. But I did realize that the scene is set right next to the crypt Willow stands on in "Bargaining."

Anyway, I left there and headed over to Culver City. I made a quick stop at the Doublemeat Palace, took some photos, then went to the street where Marti Noxon sang about her parking ticket. It turns out that she was right: the hydrant wasn't there. Damn cops set her up! The building where the Broom Dance was done has been radically changed. It's now a cafe with outdoor seating. It was good silly fun, listening to the song on my iPod while I took photos.

I knew the building used for Wolfram & Hart was somewhere nearby but I couldn't remember where. Turns out it was just a few blocks away. I'll get it another time.

Next I headed down La Cienega to the park where Tara sang "Under Your Spell." The batteries in my camera died so I couldn't take any photos, but I'll go back later. Anyway, it was a pretty day, so I sat in the park next to the bridge, listened to OMWF and read a book about artist Robert Irwin. It was one of the nicer days I'd had in LA.

After some serious research mode, I went back to the cemetery (which is called Angelus, by the way - but they pronounce it like Angeles). I decided that I'd focus on it. I haven't seen many photos on the web of it and it's nearby, so I'm going to try to document all the scenes shot there then try to do something to help others find the locations. I started off with Joyce's funeral, since it's one of the few scenes done during the daytime and there's a really distinctive landmark in the background. That wasn't too hard to find and line up the shots (except for the fact that I didn't have a crane to stand on).

Nearby is the setting for the scene where Buffy and Angel sit against a tree and get all smoochy after the funeral. The tree has been cut down but I took photos anyway. I knew how much gabrielleabelle would love them being as she's such a drooling Bangel 'shipper and all. I didn't want to let her down.

The next bit was a bit more ambitious - the opening scenes from Bargaining. But after a lot of traipsing around and going back to my laptop repeatedly, I think I got everything. I have to say it was a lot of fun, particularly after dealing with all kinds of huge decisions and problems for months. I'm pretty sure I giggled at times. It's fortunate that there weren't any other people nearby since a grown man walking around a cemetery and giggling is just the kind of thing which can lead to a misunderstanding.

Thanks. You're a pal. In return I'll send you an autographed copy of my sappy Bangel fanfic titled "Buffy & Angel 4evah!!1". It's gotten rave reviews on fanfiction.net.

Anyway, can't wait to see the results of your geeky endeavor.

I can't wait. But only if it has a cover with Angel and Buffy kissing, but with a photo of you photoshopped in place of Buffy. 'Cause that would be SWEET!!!

My health was getting a little better, to the point that I was starting to think about not leaving LA. Then while wandering around the Buffy cemetery I had what doctors call a severe vestibular crisis (the more colloquial term is the Gut-wrenching Vomit Horror of Death and Misery That Makes You Want to Pull Your Own Head Off Because That Could Only Feel Better). I hope the descendents of Thomas F. Howard (1832-1907) don't visit his grave anytime soon 'cause it's kinda gross right now. But hey, I suppose if I have to spend a couple hours immobile, retching and regretting my existence, what better place than near where the Scoobies debated the effect of sorbis root on overweight vampires.

But on the positive side, I've found every shot at the cemetery. Even the quick shots from the introduction for the early episodes. And now that I've recovered from my attack, tomorrow I head down south to see Buffy's house, the high school and the Mayor's office.


Who you calling a geek?

I have no witty reply to this. That rarely happens.

Now that I'm done laughing at the idea of photoshopping myself onto a pic of Angel-kissage, let me also say congrats on getting all the cemetery shots. Take care of yourself, though. I'm sure you're the best judge of your own health, but don't overdo things.



Just the guy who's going around taking scenery shots for a 10-year-old cult fantasy show.

Well, if you're going to put it that way . . .