Unveiling the Extravagant Filming Locations of Amazon's Sci-Fi Series Upload

Summary

Vancouver, Canada served as a major filming location for the series Upload, with sound stages constructed for the interior of Lakeview and other indoor settings.

Real-world destinations like Cecil Green Park House and Lord Stanley Ballroom in Vancouver were employed to depict the opulent and lavish atmosphere of Nathan's post-life encounter. For the exterior and interior shots of Lakeview Resort, the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, and Castle Green in Pasadena, Texas were utilized, respectively. Additionally, Fairway Market in Brooklyn, New York served as the setting for Nora's apartment in the series.

The television series Upload takes place in the digital Lakeview Hotel, an idyllic afterlife setting that needed a physical counterpart in the real world for production purposes. This Prime Video series adds a comedic twist to life after death by creating a virtual luxury hotel where souls, in the form of digital brain uploads, can reside peacefully for eternity. Achieving the desired aesthetic for Nathan Brown's afterlife required the clever ingenuity of the show's creators and the utilization of various real-world locations and buildings to authentically portray the desired atmosphere.

In 2020, Upload's first season came to life under the direction of Greg Daniels, who crafted a futuristic world where the deceased can continue to exist digitally. Within this digital realm, the living can communicate with their loved ones using advanced technology, which complicates matters for Nathan Brown, a victim of a car accident who finds himself entangled in a love triangle that spans the realms of the living and virtual. Naturally, the production of Upload necessitates extensive use of sound stages and CGI to bring the settings and characters to life. However, to enhance the visual splendor of the afterlife, real-world filming locations were also employed, as detailed by the Atlas of Wonders.

Vancouver, Canada

Shot in various locations throughout its three seasons, Upload utilized both sound stages and real-life settings to create its unique world. The interior scenes, such as Lakeview, were filmed on constructed stages in Vancouver, Canada. To showcase the extravagance of Nathan's afterlife experience, the series also made use of luxurious homes and businesses. For example, the picturesque gardens of Lakeview were captured on the property of Cecil Green Park House, a Tudor-style mansion that has previously been featured in Riverdale and Fifty Shades Freed.

In addition to these locations, Vancouver's Lord Stanley Ballroom at Stanley Park Pavillion served as the backdrop for afterlife scenes, including Nathan's funeral in season 1. Some "living world" settings were also filmed on location in Vancouver. Horizons, the company responsible for Nathan's afterlife, had a building where employees like Nora Antony reported for work. The exterior shots of this building were taken at 100 Powell Street in Gastown, Vancouver. Furthermore, the vibrant atmosphere of the city's Chinatown was used to portray various living-world cities and traffic scenes throughout the series.

Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, New York

The Lakeview Resort, a digital hotel inspired by the elegant Victoria-style hotels of the United States and Canada, serves as the central location for Nathan's afterlife in Upload. Majority of this heavenly resort, featured in the series, was filmed in Vancouver on soundstages. However, to capture the exterior and a few interior scenes, the production team ventured to the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. Nestled on a mountain ridge overlooking Mohonk Lake, this picturesque setting unquestionably justifies the resort's aptly chosen name, "Lakeview".

The Castle Green - Pasadena, Texas

Lakeview Resort's interior was actually filmed in another real-world location. The hall of the afterlife hotel was shot at Castle Green in Pasadena, Texas. Built in 1989, Castle Green is a historical venue with Victorian-style architecture. The contrast between the old-fashioned design of the venue and Upload's futuristic technology adds to the unique charm of the Prime Video series. Although only a few scenes were filmed at Castle Green, many of the sets constructed at the Vancouver studio were intended to replicate the historical design and structure of the Pasadena event center.

Fairway Market - Brooklyn, New York

In Upload, Nora resides in Brooklyn, New York, and her apartment's exterior scenes were shot at Fairway Market, an existing building. This decision allowed for the inclusion of Manhattan's skyline as a backdrop, which was later enhanced in post-production to give it a more futuristic appearance. The story takes place in 2033, where the assumption is that the skyscrapers of New York City will continue to soar even higher within the following ten years. While the interior scenes of Nora's apartment and office were filmed in Vancouver, the actual external locations contribute to the authentic atmosphere of the Prime Video series.