Numerous reality TV hotspots around the US attract droves of fans for a glimpse of the stars and reality TV filming locations
Ever since The Real World emerged as a ratings juggernaut in 1992 and launched NYC into the reality TV hotspot category, reality programming has been a favorite of television producers for over 30 years. Reality TV filming locations play key roles in the show’s visual and cultural appeal and its impact on the communities in which it is produced.
Reality shows typically utilize unknown performers, cheaper cameras and pre-existing locations that all reduce cost, and templates such as singing competitions and home improvement programs can be endlessly reused with minimal turnover for talent. In the age of uncertainty in the marketplace, reality television continues to be a winning viewership proposition. Netflix’s Love is Blind and Selling Sunset were some of the streamer’s most-watched programs in 2023. Additionally, staples like Survivor and The Amazing Race continue to dominate network television, showcasing diverse reality TV filming locations around the globe.
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How are Reality TV Filming Locations Different?
Reality TV filming locations vary from regions used to produce movies and scripted television series. You can clearly see the benefits of reality TV filming locations versus the cons of scripted television.
Scripted TV:
- Renewals and shifting locations can cause stress for cast and crew alike
- Moving around from location to location is not sustainable
Reality TV:
- These types of shows provide stability by allowing the entire production team to return to the same reality TV filming locations every day
- They can create a sustainable production model that can benefit local hotels, restaurants and supply outlets that are frequented by production members
- Successful shows can attract visitors looking to catch a glimpse of their favorite reality stars and reality TV hotspots
- Location selection for reality programming is becoming increasingly democratic. The North American marketplace is progressively saturated with talent that can bring reality show success to practically any market
Reality TV Hotspots in the US
Los Angeles remains the center of reality TV filming locations for reality production. Its proximity to studio lots, glamorous Southern California homes and restaurants, and industry talent have sustained Vanderpump Rules and RuPaul’s Drag Race for decades.
Other reality location perennials include:
- Miami – for its photogenic beachfront mansions
- Atlanta – which boasts strong tax incentives and a thriving nightclub scene
Some shows are wedded to the character of their location, like:
- The Yukon wilderness of Gold Rush
- The Mediterranean coastlines of Below Deck
An alternative model to showcasing multiple reality TV filming locations is American Idol. While the singing competition films its climactic episodes at Red Studios in Hollywood, auditions are held throughout the country and utilize local crews and theatre staff (the most recent season shot everywhere from Tuskegee, Alabama, to Santa Barbara, California).
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How do Reality TV Filming Locations Impact Communities?
The most notable example of a reality TV hotspot boosting the local economy is the immense success of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. Premiering on HGTV in 2013, the show depicted the renovation and redecorating business of married Texas couple Chip and Joanna Gaines. Fixer Upper became an unprecedented phenomenon for the network by drawing millions of viewers per episode, and the couple’s signature architectural style of shiplap and wainscoting popularized the “farmhouse chic” style of the late 2010s that brought their Magnolia lifestyle brand national prominence.
Direct Community Impacts
Even more impressively, the show transformed the town of Waco, Texas, into a genuine reality TV hotspot and tourist destination with 1.6 million annual visitors coming to glimpse the couple’s renovated homes (crowds at the Magnolia Market shopping center draw more visitors than the Alamo during peak season). The Gaines’ have coupled with the Waco Convention and Visitor Bureau to promote the city, which now competes with Dallas and Austin for young professionals along the I-35 corridor. HGTV has since replicated the model with shows like Good Bones in Indianapolis and Home Town in Laurel, Mississippi, with local CVBs creating a mutually beneficial promotion infrastructure.
What Benefits These Reality TV Hotspots?
Each of these reality TV filming locations benefitted from the assistance of a film commission. The benefits include:
1. Staffed with knowledgeable locals and government employees, these organizations can point you to local areas of interest that will both distinguish your project and spotlight local businesses.
2. Whether you’re reserving a theater for local auditions or renting out a restaurant for a juicy gossip session from cast members, the film commission can help you acquire permits and develop relationships with local guilds to ensure the most efficient sets.
3. They will make sure you receive the most beneficial tax incentives, many of which can be applied specifically to reality programming. For example, New Jersey’s tax credit can be applied to productions that utilize a space located in an Urban Enterprise Zone (which the state defines as an area suffering economic distress) and make at least $3 million in capital investment in the facility. This arrangement allows for the development of underserved areas and promotes new reality TV filming locations previously unseen on television.
Boost Your Local Community
Whether you want to increase revenue for local businesses or create replenishable filming initiatives for your city, reality television can bring a variety of positive developments. Collaborating with local film commissions can spotlight local talent and bring increased tax rebate benefits—all while promoting the local community to an international audience—and catapulting your area into reality TV hotspot status. When considering content for your next production, place reality programming at the top of the call sheet and think outside the box with unique reality TV filming locations in the U.S.
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By Miles Dobis
