Where Was 13 Reasons Why Filmed? A Gripping Mystery-Drama Series From 2017!!

Have you watched the famous mystery drama show 13 Reasons Why? Well, no worries if you haven’t watched it yet, as today I’m going to acquaint you with the plot of this teen-drama show. Furthermore, I’ll also let you in on where was 13 Reasons Why filmed.

The American mystery thriller series, 13 Reasons Why, became an instantaneous hit, upon its release in 2017. This Netflix series was adapted from a crime fiction novel by Jay Asher, published 10 years prior to the series, with the same name. However, in order to make the premise more intriguing, Brian Yorke painted the characters darker and added extra elements to the overall story of 13 Reasons Why. The basic premise follows the character of Clay Jensen, a young high school student, who tries to unearth the mystery behind his crush’s untimely death.

13 Reasons Why had a total of 49 episodes between 4 successful seasons. Even though this psychological show ended in 2020, staunch fans still debate over alternate endings in public forums to date. This gripping show earned a total of 15 nominations and went on to win 5 major awards, over the years.

Now, before I discuss the plot of this engaging series, let’s explore where was 13 Reasons Why filmed. So that you can analyze the filming locations, up close.

Where Was 13 Reasons Why Filmed? Let’s Know This Mystery Thriller Series Closely!

The makers of 13 Reasons Why decided to shoot the pilot season in and around the state of California. Interestingly enough the same locations were used for the filming of the subsequent seasons as well. 

So, after discussing with other members of the team, he began scouting for ideal filming locations in California, during the initial stages of pre-production. Soon the city of Vallejo was selected as the primary shooting location for season 1, along with Sebastopol. A few minor sequences were later filmed in Oakland as well.

The principal photography for the pilot season commenced in the summer of 2016 and continued till the last week of November, of the same year. Filming of every other season that followed, also took around 4-5 months to complete. 

So, without further ado, let’s find out where was 13 Reasons Why filmed, and discuss more intriguing facts about the specific locations in-depth.

Sebastopol, Vallejo, California | USA

The opening sequence of the show, where we see the students of Liberty High, was actually filmed inside a school in Sebastopol. The filming crew acquired shooting permissions from the authority of Analy High School well in advance. Thus after arriving in the city of Sebastopol the production members readily captured the interior sequences of the classroom of Liberty High, depicted in the show.

The ongoing summer break during the schedule of shooting made it easier for the crew to extensively film around this school. A couple of exterior shots were taken as well, which were later morphed to look like the outer area of Liberty High.

The production members then moved to the city of Vallejo, to capture the remaining sequences of the pilot season. A vacant store, located at 419 Georgia Street in Vallejo, was turned around by the crew to portray the drug store of the bakers. Sequences depicting The Crestmont in the show were filmed around the same area in Vallejo.

A renowned studio located in Mare Island was then used by the crew for capturing the remaining interior sequences. A make-believe set of Liberty High was constructed by the production members from the ground up. Interior shots of the Liberty High Gym where the lead actor first meets his crush were then filmed.

Oakland, California

After shooting the majority of the sequences in Vallejo and Sebastopol, the crew arrived in the city of Oakland. Only a handful, yet pivotal sequences were filmed here. The West Oakland Amtrak Station was used to capture the sequences depicting the homeless youth camp shown in seasons 2 and 3. 

A small-sized house located on the outskirts of Oakland was used to film the exterior shots of Mrs. Baker’s home. The same house was used in seasons 3 and 4 to capture the ending sequence of the show.

Alright friends, now allow me to discuss the plot of 13 Reasons Why in brief. So that you can get a fair idea about the narrative of this mystery series. Meanwhile, you can check out Clique, Twin Peaks and Treason as well.

Plot Of 13 Reasons Why | What’s It About

The basic premise of 13 Reasons Why revolves around the characters of Clay Jensen and his high school crush, Hannah Baker. At the very beginning of the show, the lead actor finds a mysterious tape recorder, with multiple cassettes, after the death of his crush.

As the story progresses further, the lead actor slowly comes to learn about the events that forced Hannah to end her life. The audio cassettes were the only piece of evidence, connected to the untimely death of the female lead. Watch 13 Reasons Why to find out how Clay solves the mysterious case of Hannah’s death.

Final Words

Alright guys, so now that you finally know where was 13 Reasons Why filmed, I hope you’d give this mystery series a shot. Let us know if you enjoyed the read in the comments section, we’d love to know your thoughts. Don’t forget to read other amazing articles on Viebly.