Where Was Shirley Filmed? Unique Places It Was Filmed! 

Writing horror books and movies must be cool, right? Yeah, only it’s not. It’s an arduously long, thoroughly soul-crushing, immensely lonely, and downright exhausting process. Take it from the best authors in the world, who almost drove themselves to madness while writing. Something we see in the movie Shirley. Today we will tell you all about it, and also tell you where was Shirley filmed! So hang on till the very end!

Okay, first things first, Shirley has been directed by the uber-talented Josephine Decker who also gave us the horror thriller movie Madeline’s Madeline. If you’re familiar with her work, then you know Shirley is not going to be disappointing. And it doesn’t. The movie went on to win several awards and has received generally positive reviews.

So where was Shirley filmed? Well, the events in the movie take place in Vermont and as well as Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. However, the movie isn’t filmed there. Instead, Shirley has been filmed entirely in New York. Places like Hudson Valley, Jefferson Heights, as well as the Woodstock Studio in Kingston, were used for filming.

The filming locations were changed even though real places were readily available to shoot. Why? While we don’t know the exact reason, it can be due to any number of reasons. From better tax breaks to logistical issues, the answer can be anything. This isn’t a surprise though, as we have seen this plenty of times with movies like The Unforgivable, Pumpkin Everything, and shows like The Midnight Club!

The Plot Shirley | What Is The Movie About?

Now, before we move on to see where was Shirley filmed, let’s check out what the movie is about first! Shirley is based on a 2014 novel of the same name that has been written by Susan Scarf Merrell. The novel is basically a fictional story of the famous horror and mystery novelist Shirley Jackson. The character is real, but the story in the novel isn’t, so bear that in mind.

The movie follows the life of Shirley and her husband Stanley Hyman. While Shirley herself is an acclaimed author and writer, Stanley on other hand is an acclaimed literary critic. He also works at Bennington College Vermont and is highly revered by all there. A couple, Fred and Rose, move in with them after Fred gets a job as a lecturer at Stanley’s college.

Rose is in the middle of her studies but leaves everything behind in order to support her husband. She is also smitten by the pure genius of Shirley and wants to be around her as much as possible. While Shirley is extremely dismissive of her at the start, she eventually begins to open up to her. First Rose takes care of the household chores so that’s a plus. Then Shirley realizes that she might be good as a muse for her upcoming novel.

Rose doesn’t let this opportunity pass and decides to do whatever it takes to make Shirley happy. The two develop a serious relationship that even surpasses Stanley and Fred’s relationship. However, cracks begin to form in the dynamics as Rose gets pregnant and comes to find out about Fred’s affairs. With the two on the verge of leaving the house, does Shirley get the inspiration for the book she needed?

Where Was Shirley Filmed? All The Locations You Need To Know About!

The concept behind the movie is interesting and certainly, something fans of mystery and thrillers enjoyed. The movie opened to a positive reception at the Sundance Film Festival when it was first released on January 25, 2020. With Elizabeth Moss in the lead role as Shirley Jackson, the movie had nowhere to go but the top.

So, if you want to know where was Shirley filmed and where in New York are these places, then keep on reading! We have all the information that you need!

Hudson Valley, Jefferson Heights, New York, USA

Most of the movie has been filmed in New York with several different regions being used for different scenes. One of the best things that have worked in favor of the movie is that pivotal scenes in Shirley take place inside the Hyman Residence.

Scenes for that were filmed in Captain Joseph Allen House at 210 Jefferson Heights in Catskills. According to reports the crew was also spotted filming around the Wildwing Park region too. Further indoor scenes for the movie were filmed at the Josselyn House and the Residential Operations Center.

The rest of the filming for Shirley was completed in Kingston, New York, where filming was done at the Woodstock Film Studios. So if you’re in Vermont and were hoping to visit the mansion the Hymans own, you would probably be heartbroken. The scenes have been filmed in a scattered array of locations all through New York!

Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

One of the most important aspects of Shirley is the college. Bennington College is located in Vermont and is one of the top colleges in the country. Since the movie revolves heavily around the college, the campus of Vassar College was used as a stand-in. With the mystery of the lost student, Fred’s infidelities, and numerous other scenes being filmed at Vassar.

Final Words

So, there you have it, mystery fans! We hope now you know where was Shirley filmed! One of the best things about the movie Shirley is the twists that are set up until the very last end of it. That is something we all look forward to in good mystery movies. So if that tickles your fancy too, then give the movie a go, it will not disappoint!

Also, if you liked finding out about the locations of Shirley then check out some of our other work too! We are sure you would love to find out where Pretty Little Liars, Billy The Kid, and Toscana were filmed! If you have a personal favorite movie or series that you want to be covered then let us know in the comments down below!