Arizona Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Arizona? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Arizona
For an introduction to shooting in Arizona see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Arizona Film Locations
Arizona is a southwestern state known for its Old West towns, infinity roads through extensive red sandstone deserts, and old Route 66 roadside diners and motels, Arizona offers a wealth of spectacular locations for visiting productions.
The western border of the state is only a 4 hour drive from Los Angeles.
Agricultural film locations of interest include cattle farms, as well as plantations of wheat, corn, cotton, and citrus fruits.
Arizona has hosted many productions including Nomadland (2020), The Revenant (2015), Gravity (2013), The Lone Ranger (2013), Into The Wild (2007), Desperation (2006), Jarhead (2005), Contact (1997), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Forrest Gump (1994), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Stargate (1994), Tombstone (1993), Days of Thunder (1990), ¡Three Amigos! (1986), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Planet of the Apes (1968), and Casablanca (1942).
Film locations can be divided into the following production service centres:
Phoenix
Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, offers filmmakers and photographers airports, modern architecture, sport stadiums, college and university campuses, desert golf courses, lakes and rivers, and nearby cattle ranches. Film locations of note include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, Arizona Capitol building, Arizona State University campus, Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Musical Instrument Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Arizona Science Center, Mesa Arts Center, Eisendrath House, Yayoi Kusama Firefly Infinity Mirror Room, State Farm Stadium, Footprint Center, Chase Field, Gila River Arena, Phoenix Bat Cave, Papago Park, Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, Encanto Park, Camelback Mountain, South Mountain Park, Lost Dutchman State Park, and Usery Mountain Regional Park. Sun City is a suburban retirement community known for its street network design of concentric circles in four main pinwheels. Phoenix International Raceway featured in Days of Thunder (1990).
Tonto National Forest is the state’s largest national forest.
Arcosanti is an unfinished experimental town located north of Phoenix.
¡Three Amigos! (1986) filmed outside of Phoenix in locations including Coronado National Forest, Florence, Apache Junction, Sonoran Desert, and Gold Canyon.
Flagstaff
Located in the north of the state, the city of Flagstaff is the base for accessing Navajo Reservations, spectacular sandstone landscapes, lush Alpine aspen meadows, and ponderosa pine forests.
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the Wonders of the World.
Monument Valley is known for its iconic towering red sandstone buttes.
Petrified Forest National Park is located in the northeast of the state.
The Painted Desert is known for its brilliant and varied colours.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a vast park known for Spider Rock spire and towering sandstone cliffs surrounding a verdant canyon. The Lone Ranger (2013), and Contact (1997) filmed here.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) filmed in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
Coyote Buttes and The Wave are iconic film locations.
Havasu Falls are a spectacular waterfall location in a red canyon setting.
Montezuma Castle National Monument has well-preserved pre-Columbian dwellings located in Camp Verde.
Antelope Canyon is a picture-perfect twisting sandstone canyon with light pouring through the narrow opening above.
Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River is a spectacular film location.
San Francisco Peaks snow-capped volcanoes, and the White Mountains were filmed for The Revenant (2015).
Grand Falls in Leupp has a mud coloured waterfall during the snowmelt season, usually around April.
Barringer Meteorite Crater is a meteorite impact crater.
Roden Crater is a repurposed extinct volcano crater used as an observatory.
Other nature parks of note include Wupatki National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Coconino National Forest, Slide Rock State Park, Red Rock State Park, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Dead Horse Ranch State Park, and Oak Creek Canyon.
Sedona is a desert town known for its New Age shops, spas, art galleries, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls and pine forests.
Prescott is a charming desert town known for its old courthouse and the Elks Theatre.
Jerome is an old abandoned mining town.
Oatman is a Route 66 ghost town with wild donkeys.
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In is a classic Route 66 landmark located in Seligman.
The Museum Club in Flagstaff is a Route 66 icon.
Bedrock City is a Flintstones-themed roadside amusement park.
Wigam Motel is located in Holbrook.
Area 66 is a UFO museum located outside of Kingman.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is a heritage railroad running between Clarkdale and Perkinsville.
Arizona Snowbowl is a ski resort near Flagstaff.
Lowell Observatory is located in Flagstaff.
Erie Street is a great small town main street in the town of Lowell.
Glen Canyon Dam is located in this part of the state.
Gravity (2013) filmed Lake Powell.
Agathla Peak, and Kayenta featured in Westworld (2016-).
Holbrook, Winslow, and Zeniff featured in Natural Born Killers (1994).
Forrest Gump (1994) filmed in Twin Arrows.
Into The Wild (2007) filmed in Parker, and Peach Springs.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) filmed in Blue Canyon, Hopi Indian Reservation.
Tucson
Tucson is the base for accessing Old West locations, mining towns, nature parks, military facilities, Mexican looking villages, and striking modern homes in spectacular arid settings. Film locations include the University of Arizona campus, Saguaro National Park, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, Catalina State Park, Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Tucson Botanical Garden, Old Tucson Studios, San Xavier del Bac Mission, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory, Pima Air & Space Museum, and the Air Force Boneyard. The Titan Missile Museum is a former ICBM missile site that featured in Star Trek: First Contact (1996). Tucson International Airport has a Retro Airport Control Tower.
Heading further out you can find the following:
The town of Tombstone is an Old West towns known for the famed gunfight of the O.K. Corral.
Bisbee is an old copper mining town.
The Lavender Pit, which was filmed for Desperation (2006), is a former open pit copper mine near Bisbee. Other copper mines in Arizona include Morenci Mine, Bagdad Mine, Mission Mine, Ray Mine, Sierrita Mine, and Safford Mine.
Biosphere 2 is an American Earth system science research facility located in Oracle.
Mount Graham International Observatory includes the Large Binocular Telescope, Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, and the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope.
Kartchner Caverns State Park is known for its limestone caves.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is home to a vast variety of cacti including the rare senita and organ pipe cactus.
Tumacácori National Historical Park is known for the ruins of three Spanish missions.
Nomadland (2020) filmed in Quartzsite.
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge featured in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Tombstone (1993) filmed throughout the Tucson area in locations including Elgin, Mescal, Sonoita, Patagonia, Harshaw, St David, Benson, Texas Canyon, Little Dragoon Mountains, Mt Lemmon, Skeleton Canyon, San Simon Valley, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, San Pedro River, Turkey Creek, Whetstone Mountains, Sierrita Mountains, Tucson Mountains, and Dragoon Mountains.
Yuma
Located in the southwest of the state, the city of Yuma is known for Yuma Territorial Prison.
Yuma has hosted many productions including Into the Wild (2007), Jarhead (2005), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Stargate (1994), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and Casablanca (1942).
Castle Dome Mountains were filmed in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).
The Imperial Sand Dunes are located just across the border in California.
Yuma Proving Ground is one of the largest United States Army military installations in the world.
Arizona Film Location Permits
The permitting process varies depending on what part of the state you are shooting in and the type of permit you require. Special permits are required for federal, state and tribal lands. Filming public locations in the city of Phoenix requires a Film and Digital Media Permit which costs $100. Proof of insurance is required. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Arizona’s climate varies widely across the state. In the lower elevations, the climate is primarily desert, with mild winters and extremely hot summers. Arizona has two short rainy seasons, one in the late summer and another during the winter. The northern third of Arizona is at higher altitude and has colder winters and milder summers.
The US-Mexico border town of Naco has a cross-border volleyball tournament in April.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the United States.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Arizona Tax Incentives For Filming
The state of Arizona does not offer a tax incentive for visiting productions. Various regions and cities in Arizona offer productions individual financial incentives.
Arizona Film Crew & Talent
Crew. Arizona has a good pool of local crew and all the standard camera, grip and lighting equipment. Anything else can be easily brought in from Los Angeles. Yuma, for instance, is only a 4 hour drive away.
Contact us if you are looking for a Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson or Yuma based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Arizona.
Talent. Most talent looks are Caucasian and Latino. Arizona has one of the largest Native American populations in the United States with the Navajo Nation being the largest group, followed by Apache, Pima, ohono O’odham, and Hopi. Movie character stereotypes include suntanned retirees, park rangers, ranchers, and Mexican families.
Arizona Film Equipment
Equipment. Standard camera, grip and lighting equipment available locally. More specialised equipment needs to be brought it.
Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Arizona Studios & Post Production
Arizona has a few studios to choose from.
Arizona Film-Friendly Accommodation
Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Phoenix / Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Tucson, Yuma and other areas of Arizona. Phoenix hotels of note include:
Embassy Suites Phoenix Biltmore
Final Notes
Safety. Arizona is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Explore the Grand Canyon by foot or whitewater raft.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Arizona, please see below:
Hire Arizona Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Arizona, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Arizona, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.
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