backlots

Backlots are exterior filming areas within a film studio’s grounds. They comprise constructed streets, squares, and facades designed to stand in for real-world locations such as cities, towns, or rural settings. They are used for exterior scenes, providing controlled lighting, sound, and traffic, and allowing rapid set changes and repeated takes without leaving the studio lot. Backlots differ from sound stages, which are indoor spaces for interiors and controlled environments, and from on-location shoots, which occur in real places.

Historically, backlots were essential to major studios during the studio system era, with large lots built or expanded to house multiple era-specific streets and districts. Iconic examples included the urban streets and Western towns of major studios such as Warner Bros., Universal, MGM, and 20th Century Fox. Over time, some backlots were partially restructured, sold, or incorporated into theme parks; others remain active or have been refurbished for modern productions. Universal Studios Hollywood, for example, combines a working backlot with a theme park and offers backlot tours, illustrating how backlots can serve both production and public entertainment needs.

Present practice: modern studios often maintain backlots that are modular and adaptable, sometimes aging but still used for television series and feature films that require realistic exteriors without on-location hassles. They may include a mix of standing facades from various eras and flexible street layouts, with set dressings enabling quick changes.

In sum, backlots are core infrastructure of traditional film production, enabling controlled, cost-effective exterior shooting while providing a versatile range of settings.