Upamanyu Biswas
Prime Video’s ‘Motorheads‘ tells the story of Caitlyn and Zac Torres, two teenage siblings who move to Ironwood, Pennsylvania, to find out what happened to their father, Christian Maddox, a talented street racer who got caught up in a notorious bank heist years ago. As they settle into their new small-town environment, the duo must navigate the social intricacies of Ironwood High School, their local public school, where they run into friends and foes alike. Things get even more complicated when they realize the town is riddled with secrets and hidden pasts that have been kept under wraps for years. It leads to a complex mystery where the answers behind Christian’s disappearance are rooted in the present and past interactions of key figures who play a significant role in the town’s autonomy.
Ironwood: A Fictional Town Where Street Racing Dominates
While it prominently appears as the main backdrop in ‘Motorheads,’ Ironwood is a fictional town in Pennsylvania concocted by the show’s creative team, specifically creator John A. Norris alongside his co-writers Carrie Gutenberg, Obiageli Odimegwu, Adrian Dukes, Kenny Neibart, and Wendy Straker Hauser. The actual filming of the fictional township takes place in Ontario province, a versatile filmmaking spot flush with natural, rural, and modern urban locales. For instance, the production team set up shop in Brantford, which served as the central hub for many of the scenes featuring Ironwood. Additionally, the crew also recorded key scenes in Brant County, London, Hamilton, Paris, Grey County, and Toronto, among many other places. In one scene, a customer service building in Paris was fitted with an “Allegheny County” signboard to show the Pennsylvania roots.
The name Ironwood is also designated to a real-life city in Michigan. Although it shares similar names with the fictional town in question, the two differ in their geographical whereabouts. To that end, the Ironwood depicted in the show is more rooted in the narrative underpinnings, such as the conflict between Zac Torres and Harris Bowers. The Bowers family is a hugely influential force within the town, often even the owners of numerous stores and organizations. It showcases the distinction between the rich, the poor, and the standard working class in the town’s hierarchy, which plays a massive role in the story. More importantly, the town’s main feature is its nightly street racing events. Because of the low-key rural environment of the region, these street races stand out even further, bringing a unique vibe to the fictional Ironwood.
Ironwood High School Adds to the Show’s Overarching Worldbuilding
In addition to the outdoor aesthetics of Ironwood, ‘Motorheads’ also layers its fictional backdrop with a number of memorable locales that help flesh out the town’s overall geography and worldbuilding. One such integral addition is the Ironwood High School, a fictional institute brought to life by the show’s writers. It offers a more focused glance into Zac and Caitlyn’s day-to-day social life through the prism of a high school environment where they come into contact with their first group of friends and also their enemies. The scenes featuring the school were likely lensed in the neighborhoods of Ontario, specifically in regions like Brantford, County of Brant, London, Hamilton, and Grey County. Additionally, some of the interior scenes may have been filmed at the Cinespace Film Studios, located west of Toronto.
During filming, the crew must have modified an existing establishment with the “Ironwood High School” letters on its entrance. It helps sell the school’s existence even further and doubles down on its seeming realism. However, it is a fabricated element of the story meant to illustrate the deep divisions that exist between the popular cliques and the outcast teenagers who are constantly heckled and bullied. As such, the institute plays a pivotal role in transparently showcasing these dynamics while also shining a spotlight on how Zac and Caitlyn expand their social circle by integrating with people like Curtis and Marcel. It breathes more life into the narrative and touches upon the high school aspects of the tale more genuinely, even though the school itself remains fictional.
Read More: Motorheads Ending Explained: Who is Calling Caitlyn? Is Harris Dead or Alive?
