With the Oscars in a few days, we can't help but wonder why none of the top nominations were filmed in D.C. 🤔 Sure, D.C. shows up in films and movies all the time, but any local can tell that the vast majority of these weren’t actually filmed here. So, why is the star power skipping over D.C.?
Why Aren’t Movies Filmed In DC?
It turns out, D.C. is one of the hardest places to film in the U.S. because it falls under a tangle of jurisdictions. For example, when “Wonder Woman 1984” was filmed on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, it had to get permission from the Park Service, the Secret Service, the city, and the FBI. And that was just for a street.
Additionally, the District is a no-fly zone for helicopters and drones, making it hard to get aerial shots. It also doesn’t help that, until recently, there weren't financial incentives for filming in D.C. like there are in other cities.
Where Are “DC” Films/Shows Being Shot Instead?
Literally anywhere else. “House of Cards” was filmed in Baltimore.
“West Wing” and “Scandal” were both primarily shot in Los Angeles. “Homeland” was filmed in North Carolina. Some films like “Spiderman: Homecoming” and “Captain America: Winter Soldier” will travel to D.C. for a couple “postcards” scenes (which we learned about from the creators of “The Americans”), but are still mainly filmed in California.
On the location for the filming of "Thank You for Smoking" from atop D.C.’s Hyatt Regency. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)
What Is D.C. Doing About It?
In 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser reactivated an entertainment tax rebate fund to help draw more media to the District. Essentially, a production must spend more than $250,000 filming in D.C. to qualify for a rebate of up to 35% of taxable expenditures. The rebate program also encourages production crews to hire District residents and support local businesses.
DC Mis-Representation
Even when things are filmed in D.C., it’s always the National Mall. I want a story about a dive bar in Adams Morgan or roller skaters in Anacostia. Despite the rebates, local D.C. still lacks genuine cultural representation in media, but at least Hollywood’s ignorance of D.C. can yield some hilarious mistakes.
