About Riverside
Riverside, the seat of Riverside County, is located in what is known as the Inland Empire, which is about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles. There are 315,000 people within the city limits and 4.6 million in the Inland Empire MSA. Riverside was the epicenter of California’s thriving citrus industry in the 1870s. The navel orange became known as Riverside’s version of the California Gold Rush.
By the 1880s, there were more than one million citrus trees in Southern California, and more than half of these were in Riverside. With irrigation systems in place and the innovation of refrigerated rail cars, Riverside became one of the richest cities in the US by the close of the 19th century.
The decline of the citrus industry prompted Riverside to diversify its economy. Today, the Inland Empire is known as an inland port taking advantage of its proximity to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The imported products are shipped inland away from the congestion and the high land prices of the coastal areas for unpacking, repacking, and distribution.
Riverside has been able to attract light manufacturing in the industrial parks that surround the inland port. The video shoot locations offered in Riverside are an extension of the area’s early involvement in the film and television industries beginning in the early 1910s.
Video Shoot Locations in Riverside
The video shoot locations range from historic homes to the interiors of commercial spaces. A few of the listings are specific to the staging of indoor video shoots. What is not listed or mentioned is the city’s unique architecture, the historic landmarks, and the multi-modal scenes of the inland port. These multi-modal scenes are ideal for the seekers of the warehousing, campy backgrounds.
- Professional Videographer
The contracting of a professional videographer in Riverside will be an asset to the project. Those with local knowledge will be able to connect any backdrop with the branding and the messaging of the end product. An experienced videographer would also have connections with local vendors to provide any equipment, fixturing, and furnishings to complete the set.
- Catering
Of all the services supporting a video shoot, the most scrutinized is the catering. Catering to any set, regardless of size or budget, is a specialty utilizing coordination on a flexible schedule. It is a benefit to any video shoot to contract with a catering company that specializes in serving on set and on remote locations.
- Permitting
All commercial filming will require a permit. The fees will vary depending upon any street closures and any services from other city departments. There will be additional tiers in the application process if the project incorporates drones, private property, or minors.
Video Shoot Location Companies in Riverside
The video industry has a positive effect on the Riverside economy, and the city leaders are cognizant of this. The choices of ancillary businesses supporting a video shoot are plentiful as the pool spreads throughout both the Inland Empire and Los Angeles. The hiring of local vendors for a video shoot will support the merits of any application submitted for available tax incentives and grants.
- Dronegenuity
Dronegenuity is a nationwide company serving the Inland Empire. The technology used for incorporating drone images into videos will deepen brand promotion and connect the end-users to the product. Any 3D imaging will be solution-based and customized to the objective of the project.
- Stage Café Catering
This Production Hub-sponsored catering company specializes in providing food service to video sets. The turnkey catering scope, complete with tents, tables, chairs, and utensils, will be specific to both the time schedule and the budget. The menu options offered by Stage Café Catering are made fresh without the necessity of on-site cooking.
- The Production HUB
The videographers working in Riverside are served by this database of local vendors providing services to complete the crews for the shoot, the equipment and furnishing to complete the set, and the technology for editing the end product. All vendors of ancillary services to a video shoot have been vetted and reviewed by prior customers.
Pros and Cons of Video Shoot Locations in Riverside
There are advantages and disadvantages to every project and task. The list of the “pros” are no more important than the list of “cons”, but all must be taken together for an informed decision. Make sure you know all the facts before finalizing your video shoot location in Riverside.
Advantages
- Scenery
The remote locations for video shoots in Riverside are dynamic. The variety of architecture from Spanish Colonial to Queen Anne style is all within the city core. In the natural landscape outside of the city are mountains, valleys, orange groves, and dry creek beds.
- Local support for the industry
The Riverside County Film Commission operates under the Office of Economic Development to provide streamlined services in the permit process. The Commission also offers a referral service to local vendors.
- California Tax Credit Program
The new guidelines under California’s Tax Credit Program are effective in taking the politics out of the incentive awards. The competition between production companies is on an even field with the elimination of the lottery system and the budget caps. All projects are ranked on criteria specific to production categories.
Disadvantages
- Climate
Riverside is too far inland to experience the tempered climate of Southern California. The climate of Riverside is defined as semi-arid to arid. The summers are hot and the winters can be wet.
- Environment
Riverside and the Inland Empire experience high levels of smog blown in from Los Angeles and its basin. Traffic from the highways and the ports contribute to the air particulates.
- Negative stigma
Although the city has made significant progress in diffusing the public image, the negativity of gang-related crime remains. Gang activity is present in eastside neighborhoods, but the unfavorable effects spread throughout Riverside.
Famous Locations in Riverside
- Mission Inn
The Mission Inn historic hotel embraces the city’s past while providing guests with the luxuries and conveniences of the modern day. Through numerous ownerships, from bankruptcies to boarding houses, and back again, The Mission Inn has transformed into the best hotel and museum in Riverside. Guests of the hotel are treated to a back-of-house, docent-led tour of the Mission Inn Mansion.
- UC-Riverside Botanical Gardens
On the campus of the University of California-Riverside in the foothills of Box Springs Mountain is the botanical gardens. The gardens encompass 40 acres of flora and four miles of trails. The hikes can be self-guided or docent-led to educate visitors about the types of botanicals and their use and place in history.
- Main Street Mall
The Main Street Mall is the pedestrian connector of small local shops and historical sites to The Mission Inn and the Museum of Photography. All aspects of a vibrant downtown walkable corridor are within the Main Street Mall. The restaurant experiences a range from upscale to casual vendors in all flavors and cuisines.
