“Black Bird.” Based on the autobiographical novel ‘In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption’ by James Keene, ‘Black Bird’ is a crime series developed by Dennis Lehane for AppleTV+. The narrative revolves around Jimmy Keene, who is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison without guards.
However, the FBI contacts him and confronts him with a dangerous and life-changing deal. In exchange for his freedom, he is to enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall.
Jimmy’s main mission is to get a confession out of Larry to end his attraction and keep him locked up for the betterment of everyone. The suspenseful and suspenseful narrative is complemented by brilliant acting from a talented ensemble cast of Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, and Ray Liotta.
The transition from one prison to another reflects the tone of the series as the narrative takes a darker turn. But what draws viewers, even more, are the locations used in the series, including two prisons.
Where Was Black Bird Series Filmed?
“Black Bird” is filmed in Louisiana, Illinois, Ontario, and Quebec, mainly in and around New Orleans, in the parishes of St. Bernard and Plaquemines. Principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the prison series began in April 2021 and seemingly wrapped in September of that year.
Since Lousiana has a reputation for having one of the highest murder rates in the United States, it is fitting that the production team decided to film the Black Bird series in this state.
New Orleans
All key sequences of “Black Bird” take place around New Orleans, a consolidated city-parish in southeastern Louisiana. The production team ostensibly travels across the city to shoot interior and exterior shots on suitable sets.
As for the prison scenes, it is possible that they are using the facilities of an actual prison or a film studio by building the entire prison on set in New Orleans. Either way, the show’s cast, and crew do a commendable job of portraying the prison scenes as authentically as they do.
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Located along the Mississippi River, New Orleans is known for its Creole cuisine, distinctive music, unique dialects, and several annual celebrations and festivals such as Mardi Gras. Moreover, the city is referred to as one of the most unique cities in the entire country due to its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage.
Crime has been a prevalent problem that the locals of New Orleans have been dealing with for years, which may be one of the reasons why the production team of “Black Bird” found the city suitable for filming a crime drama.
Due to the city’s prominent role in pop culture and the film industry, it is also known as Hollywood South. Over the years, many filmmakers have visited New Orleans for various types of productions. Some of the most notable movies and TV shows that have been filmed in the city are ‘Django Unchained’, ‘Deep Water’, ‘Lolita’, ‘Originals’ and ‘True Detective’.
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In late June 2021, the production team was spotted filming several key sequences in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, with several muscular men doubling as inmates in the series. In the final stages of filming, in August 2021, the cast and crew of “Black Bird” even traveled to the parish of St. Bernard to shoot some footage on location.
Parts of Black Bird were also filmed in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and Illinois. Locations in Canada and Illinois were used mostly for exterior shots.
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