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Los Angeles Studio Tours, Paramount Studio, Universal Studio Tour
 

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   Studio Tours, Los Angeles
Studio Tours are popular LA attractions - see the sets and studios where movies and TV shows are made and even be part of the sit in audience for comedies or other TV shows. Typically the major studios will be closed on Saturday and Sundays. Only major studios are listed on this page - there are many smaller studios in LA that most of the public has never heard of. Did you know that the largest US based Pornography film industry is based in the San Fernando Valley? None of those studios are listed on this page. Some of the more popular mainstream studio locations are listed below.  
Paramount Studios, inside, close to the Melrose Ave side

Paramount Studios is located on Gower Street just south of Hollywood Blvd. For Audience Shows and Studio tours please call the info line at Phone Number (323) 956-1777 - you must make advance reservations. Allow 2 hours for the actual guided tour. A golf cart is provided to drive you around from set to set although there is a bit of walking on the actual sets. This is a true production tour, not an "entertainment/theme' tour. Paramount is always filming a large variety of TV shows so you never know which set you will walk onto or which ones you can't access due to live filming. When we were here, Eddie Murphy was filming a new movie and to indicate a live set, flashing red lights shine outside the main sets entrance. The main entrance is on 5555 Melrose Ave - and parking is available in a lot almost directly across from the entrance. You pay a small amount to park, but then bring your Paramount Studios ticket back after your tour and your payment will be refunded.
 
  It is recommended you arrive at least 15-20 minutes early. After you go through security you will meet your tour guide at the "coffee/snack shop". Look for employees and actors lounging around drinking coffee inside and outside on the nearby tables. Tours are always quite small - maybe 10 people or so. The nice thing about this tour is each tour is different due to always varying production schedules as well as the fact that there is no set script the tour guides need to adhere to. This is quite refreshing and *very* personable as it helps liven things up for the tour guides and for you should

you return for an additional tour. Another note - always ask questions...this also helps keep things lively for your group as well as your tour guide. Our guide was awesome...always trying to get us onto sets and near live filming. We were also able to meet several set construction employees. Think movie making is all glamour for actors? We saw many of the extras just sitting around listening to Ipods looking bored. In addition to the massive sets that are constructed for Television and Movies, Paramount also has outside sets - including their New York City back lot - which down to the most mundane details such as scuff marks on sidewalks resembles a real city. Did you know that studios rent out their space to other studios. So despite a movie being produced by one studio, in actuality that movie may have been filmed at a number of studios.

Another highlight is a visit to Paramount's Camera office where you may meet with some of their key employees who work here. Did you know that the majority of movies and TV programs are still shot entirely with film. Until much higher quality affordable digital technology comes along, the film industry will continue to use tried and true technology.

Paramount Studios is the only major studio actually located in Hollywood. Paramount has a long rich history with film and some of this history is touched upon by your guide. In addition, a color pamphlet is given which provides further historical details. Other highlights are the huge painted sky which towers over the "B Tank" - what is normally used as an employee parking lot, but which can also be filled with water for "ocean" scenes, the bench where Forest Gump sat, and if not being used, entry to the "Dining Room" restaurant where some famous actors and directors have their "favorite" tables - pointed out by your guide.

Please view our photos below. For more info & to reserve tickets visit: www.paramount.com/studio

       
 
       
 
       
 
       

20th Century Fox Studios are located at 10201 Pico Boulevard in Century City. Visit their studio tours website here: www.foxstudios.com/flash/main.htm

Culver Studios are located in Culver City. No information about whether tours are available and we have not visited these studios yet. Visit: www.theculverstudios.com

NBC Studio Tours are located in Burbank at 3000 W. Alameda Ave.  Tours are among the most reasonably priced of all the major area studios and they start regularly 9am - 3pm on weekdays. During Summer and Holidays tours are given on weekends also. Working television studios are located here and the tours are unstaged so you never know what or who you will see. Depending on availability, you do get to step backstage to see how The Tonight Show is filmed as well as visit the Days of Our Lives set. Each walking tour lasts about 70 minutes. For more information visit: www.nbc.com/Footer/Tickets Phone (818) 840-3537 or to write for tickets use: NBC Tickets - 3000 W. Alameda Ave - Burbank, CA 91523. You can also pick up tickets on a first come first service basis starting daily at 8am at the main NBC ticket counter.

Sony Picture Studios is located in Culver City at 10202 W. Washington Blvd. This is somewhat away from where most of the studios are located. Culver city is located near where the 405 and the 10 meet. Parking is free and the two-hour walking tour departs from Sony Pictures Plaza at various times, M-F. This tour is a bit more intimate than say the Universal Studios trolley tour - as here you actually walk on the studio lots and onto sound stages. Popular game shows, Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy are filmed here and depending on availability you can sometimes walk onto these sets. More info: www.sonypicturesstudios.com/tourssection/tours.html or Phone: (323) 520-8687

Sunset Gower Studios (no tours given but mentioned here for reference) are located just south of Hollywood Blvd on Gower Street heading towards Paramount Studios. You can easily see the main stages from the street. From the website this studio gives the appearance of being fairly small compared to the other behemoth studios in the LA Area. Visit their very informative website here: www.sunsetgower.com

The major film company,
Universal Studios has a theme park including tours of the movie sets located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City. Universal Studios is billed as the "world's largest movie studio & theme park. Universal Studios is located off of the 101 freeway (north east side) just north of Los Angeles. This is a great place to enjoy behind the scenes tours of movie sets, TV shows and see current movies being filmed. There are several large parking garages ($10 for general or $20 for preferred closer parking). You enter through a huge theme shop and restaurant lined walkway - on a weekend or warm day this long walkway can be extremely crowded.

  Universal Studios Hollywood will roll out a red carpet for repeat visitors, providing an unprecedented array of perks, privileges and discounts for just $5.00 more than the price of a single-day admission.

The 2009 All Access Pass will offer unrestricted 365-day “no black-out date” park access, a dedicated VIP “hassle-free” express front gate entrance, Backlot Studio Tour priority boarding privileges for most of the year, plus an array of discounts on all food and merchandise purchases at the theme park and $12 off the purchase of guest tickets.

Other “hassle free” highlights of the “2009 All Access Pass” includes Universal Studios Hollywood unprecedented “Umbrella Policy” which

takes the barometer and weather forecast guesswork from the theme park equation. With “The World’s First-Ever Theme Park Guaranteed Rain Check,” guests visiting Universal Studios Hollywood will receive a rain check ticket valid for use any time in the following 30 days on a day that the park receives over 1/8” of rainfall by 2:00 p.m. Plus, on rainy days, guests will be provided with complimentary coffee and hot chocolate at designated covered and indoor rest areas.

An informative electronic sign near the entrance will inform you of the approximate wait times for each ride or attraction - course if you have a VIP pass, this information is irrelevant. You can actually walk among movie sets & stages with the VIP passes. VIP passes also allows you to cut to the front of the lines for pretty much everything, and also meet some of the select actors and actresses from the shows. If you have never been to Universal Studios before it is recommended you head right to the studio tour. Its about an hour in length; you sit in open air cars as your tour guide and driver drive you throughout the sets, studios and select very famous stages from well-known movies such as Jaws, War of the Worlds and more. Some highlights of this tour: the earthquake you experience inside one of the stages, a flood that appears miraculously, a visit from King Kong and a shark that "attacks". You even drive onto several TV Show sets.

Besides the movie sets, there are many theme rides, family type fun, shows and shopping. Select well-known characters will be in costume walking around parts of Universal mostly mobbed by the public for photos. Often you can find coupons for good discounts off admission in local area tourist publications - and if you are a Triple AAA member - you can also sometimes find significant discount coupons in their VIA magazine off of admission. More information is available here: www.universalstudioshollywood.com (click on the Parks & Resorts Link). Or: www.citywalkhollywood.com

Universal Studios Photos:

       
One of the Sets   Main Entrance   Entrance Tower   Universal Globe   Universal Sign
 
       
Water World - flying planes, explosions, a raucous wet crowd - all make for a wild time!   Rolling out the red carpet. A favorite spot for photos.   War of World's Set - one of the largest and most impressive of Universal's movie sets   This poor fellow is unable to afford a Hollywood Makeover.   A wonderfully clear day, overlooking the
Sets & part of the San Fernando Valley

Warner Brothers is located in Burbank at 3400 W. Riverside Drive not far at all from Universal Studios (See below). Their standard most popular tour is the VIP Studio Tour and is a 2 hour 15 min cart tour through the actual sets and current productions. This tour ends at their Memorabilia museum. They also have a 5 hour deluxe tour for serious film buffs. Tours depart very often from 8:30am to 4pm weekdays. Parking is at Gate 6 behind the main building. Visit: www.wbstudiotour.com and click on VIP studio tours or Phone: (818) 972-8687

Note - The websites listed below, Be in a Movie and TV Tix allow you to get tickets to TV Shows or be in a movie for free. You can check their websites for upcoming TV shows and movies and then signup online for tickets. Before the actual show or movie filming you will be called by an automated caller giving you the updated details and they will provide a phone number for you to call back to confirm your presence at the actual show or movie. Be aware that oftentimes filming locations and times for movies can change at the last minute.

www.audiencesunlimited.com
in business since 1982, provides the opportunity to see top television shows being taped live
www.BeInAMovie.com
as the name says, you can be in a movie - extras always needed, typically non paid
www.entertainmentpartners.com paid casting calls - pay is not high, but at least you do get paid
www.seeing-stars.com great resource for anything Hollywood related
www.tvtix.com get free tickets to TV Studio shows in Los Angeles
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 Last Updated:  12/29/08 19:16:04

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