About Asheville
Considered the Southeast's brewing capital, Asheville is where you can indulge in a selection of 50 locally brewed craft beers. The city rests in the Blue Ridge Mountains right at the intersection of the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers. The location lends a mild temperate climate to the city.
Asheville is adjacent to eight state and national parts alongside more than 200 waterfalls. It's the perfect place to go hiking with numerous scenic routes to explore along the way. The city is also where five box office hits were filmed including The Fugitive, Patch Adams, and Hannibal.
Overall, Asheville provides an endless list of hideouts to explore and breathtaking sceneries that would serve as great photography or videography backdrops. It's the reason why you should consider locking down a filming venue in Asheville.
Filming Options in Asheville
Even a low-budget production still requires several elements to spring the film to life. It's natural to outsource some tasks particularly if it proves more economical. Whether you need talent, filming equipment, or catering, lots of businesses in Asheville cater to the production industry.
- Equipment Rentals
Having the right gear gets you closer to filming visually stunning and crystal clear audio. The equipment rental companies in Asheville can supply lighting, camera rigs, lavalier microphones, and other filming gear you need.
- Stunning Venues
Asheville's eastern region is a walk away from breathtaking trailheads and the border of the national forest offers stunning locales. Whether you want a natural, scenic backdrop or a historically rich location; the city provides plenty of suitable filming venues to suit your specific need.
- Catering
Your crew and talent need to refuel to get the job done. Asheville is home to cutting-edge restaurants and award-winning chefs. The local culinary scene includes everything from underground supper clubs to classic steakhouses. You'll equally please your filming crews' palates by teaming up with a catering company in Asheville to handle the meals.
- Transportation
More than often, a filming project involves shooting in different venues. The local car rental services in Asheville have you covered. They can simplify your logistics by providing chauffeur-driven services around the city.
- Security
The scale of the production will determine whether or not you should invest in security. Generally, if you are filming around the city's streets, you'll need help with crowd control and that's part of what the security team handles.
Filming Companies in Asheville
When filming in Asheville, chances are you'll need some assistance. From finding the right filming location in Asheville to feeding your crew; you'll have a better experience working with a fixer, location manager, and other production professionals.
- Bonesteel Films
This boutique media production company specialized in creating commercials, brand content, and documentary films. They have perfected the art of combining visual craft and the best of narrative to tell engaging stories. Bonesteel Films can help you captivate an audience.
- Rent All Inc
Rent All Inc is your true value rental solution in Asheville. Their inventory of rental products includes games, concessions, furniture, decor, crowd control, and staging equipment. They also offer landscaping, moving and shipping, and business rental items.
- Celine and Company
Food and beverages are at the center of every celebration, and Celine and Company understand it. They are well-versed with the Asheville culinary landscape, and their services always involve spectacular presentation and complementary flavors.
Pros and Cons of Filming in Asheville
Before committing to an Asheville filming location, it's best to know precisely what you are signing up for. The city presents both advantages and disadvantages that can affect various aspects of your upcoming film production.
Advantages
- The weather
Asheville experiences milder weather compared to the rest of the state. It's because of the higher altitude, and in general, you'll love filming at the city's outdoor locations.
- Diversity
The majority of people in Asheville will welcome you and your filming crew with open arms. The city is one of the nation's best cultural melting pots with a diverse community that still offers southern hospitality and charm.
- Plenty to do
There are plenty of outdoor activities to do in the summer, and it might just inspire your filming. The city is a drive away from hiking, cycling, and horseback riding opportunities.
- The food scene
The density of breweries and high-end dining establishments in the city makes it a foodie haven. The arts scene is equally fantastic, and you'll have plenty of inspirations for authentic elements to include in your film production.
- Accessibility
The Asheville Regional Airport serves an estimated 78,000 people every month. American Airlines has non-stop flights to Philadelphia while Delta can fly you to Newark, Atlanta, Denver, and Dallas.
Disadvantages
- No focal point
Unlike most cities that have a downtown area, Asheville doesn't really have a focal point. It just means doing some legwork to figure out where to film establishing shots of the city.
- Lacking in history
The city hasn't preserved its history quite well and you might have trouble finding locations that depict Asheville's background.
- Tourism traffic
Asheville's location and accessibility draw in droves of tourists. It just means that you want to avoid filming in the tourist hotspots because crowd control will be a nightmare.
- High housing costs
Expect to pay significantly more when hiring filming locations because the city has higher housing costs compared to the rest of the country.
- Confusing infrastructure
Being a mountain city, Asheville's infrastructure can be confusing to visitors. Hence the reason you should work with a fixer for your upcoming film production.
Famous Locations in Asheville
- Blue Ridge Parkway
Stretching 469 miles from Virginia's Shenandoah National Park to North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains; the Blue Ridge Parkway is a picturesque retreat. Make sure to carry your bathing suit to take a dip in the cooling waters.
- Western North Carolina (WNC) Nature Center
Occupying 42 acres, the Western North Carolina (WNC) Nature Center educates the public about the region's natural habitats and animal life. The Appalachian Predators’ habitat houses the endangered red wolf as well as grey wolves, coyotes, and bobcats.
- North Carolina Arboretum
Diverse plants are cultivated at the 65 acres that make up the North Carolina Arboretum. The Bonsal Exhibition Garden and the National Native Azalea Collection are some of the highlights. The 434-acre retreat also offers plenty of outdoor activities including guided trail walks and geocaching. Book Diamond Hall, which is a coworking space in downtown Asheville, for your upcoming filming project.