You'll recall that last year I was a little derogatory about the fact that the show wasn't actually filmed in Kentucky, much less Harlan County. However, I've come to realize that there is a reason they aren't filming there. So far, all Kentucky crime goes through Harlan, and both the sheriff and local police chief have been shown to be corrupt. Just imagine the film crews interacting with the locals once the locals realize how they were being portrayed.
Suddenly, every time one of their vehicles goes 2 mph over it gets pulled over and cited. "Sorry sir, but I can't let you go with a warning. People might get the impression that law enforcement in Harlan is corrupt." And, imagine the process for getting permits. "No ma'am, I'm afraid we can't take any shortcuts. You'll have to fill out all 134 pages in the application and wait until we get approval from the department of tourism in Frankfort. It should not take any longer than 3-4 months."
Maybe they made the right choice in deciding not to film in Harlan after all.
5 comments:
I am from harlan county cumberland to be exact. The things i had to endure through in my life due to events that took place there could probably not be shot in a season of justified i've lost almost my whole family and spent my entire childhood in states care foster homes boot camps and boys homes i feel the producers should at least make an attempt to do some filming down there by filming off location the true struggle of the people is not shown to see the pain and the hardship we all have had to face simply cause we where to just lucky to be born here should at least earn the right to have our town filmed and possibly create a few more jobs in my hometown cause about all there is to do now is either dig coal or sling dope we all could use a break and this could maybe help some
What I don't get is these so called hillbillies live lives of crime but never buy themselves anything new with all that money, love the show and writing and actors are superb its just a shame it ended like all good things I suppose but it's very much missed
I was sorry to read the post from someone born in Harlen County and had to struggle because of hardships in that area and yes the show should have been filmed there and extras should have been from Kentucky and its a shame this country is glorified to outsiders when are own go to bed hungry and homeless. I am posting this in 2018 and sadly things are not better just pray this person found some light in their life
Loved the show, and a lifelong Kentucky resident. Although I've visited eastern Kentucky many times, I live in the Louisville area, but I still have a pretty good handle on both the Harlan area and have some experience and exposure to the film industry. I can tell you far and away the main reasons the show wasn't filmed there are simply logistics, cost and convenience.
Harlan County is hell and gone from everywhere. The closest major airport would be in Knoxville, TN, and that's 2.5 hours away. Imagine the time, expense and aggravation of getting actors in and out.
Speaking of actors, by filming in California, they have a HUGE pool of talent to pick from. People getting major roles might be willing to spend a few months filming a season in Kentucky, but people with brief or sporadic appearances wouldn't. They couldn't afford to spend that much time away from Cali and risk missing other roles. Many non-major actors appear in many shows per year, sometimes with overlapping filming schedules.
Equipment is another huge issue. Cameras, lighting, sound, production facilities, etc. would all have to be brought into Harlan and set up. If something breaks, Atlanta or New York would probably be the closest option to get something fixed or replaced. Delays like that could cost a fortune.
Locations are a huge part of the equation as well. Most of the show was filmed very close to downtown LA, giving them about every option you can imagine for backdrops -- farmland, hills, small towns, big cities, etc. Filming in Harlan and the area around it would be fine for those scenes, but when they needed a "big city" look, once again, Knoxville would be the closest option. Not very convenient. Weather factors into it all as well. Summer in Kentucky can be hot, humid, and generally pretty damn uncomfortable. Spring and fall can range from hot to cold, and often rainy. Needless to say, Cali's weather is usually far more comfortable and easier to deal with overall, and for many more days per year.
But at least they shot some B-roll in the area. All the intro shots are from around the area, complete with a hazy Raylan stand-in.
It would have been difficult and agree. Being a native and life long resident, I would liked to have seen more B roll background shots. One can tell it’s California. No hills in Harlan are as bare.
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