Shubhabrata Dutta
Created by Benito Skinner, Prime Video’s ‘Overcompensating’ is a comedy series that explores the tapestry of college life from the POV of a closeted student, Benny. His wild and chaotic experiences in college, which are partly the outcomes of his “overcompensating” measures to deal with his decisions, take center stage in the show. From friendships to hookups to parties to social media scandals to campus catastrophes, the series delves into the various shades of college life, including its emotional spikes and drops. Since the whole story concerns college, care was taken to authenticate the visuals with color, contrast, and real-life-based aesthetics.
Overcompensating Filming Locations
‘Overcompensating’ is filmed in two locations: Toronto and Los Angeles. Principal photography of Season 1 reportedly began in April 2024 and lasted almost six months before wrapping up in the first week of October the same year. The cast and crew had a blast while filming the series and formed a strong bond on set, and the resulting chemistry can be easily seen onscreen. Toronto became the base for the shoot while Los Angeles was used to capture additional scenes.
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, was the primary filming location for ‘Overcompensating.’ The University of Toronto, located at 27 King’s College Circle, doubled as Yates University, where Benny takes admission. The crew gained access to the campus and made proper use of various indoor and outdoor spaces to bring the show to life. Known across the world for its educational programs, sports, and cultural undertakings, the University of Toronto is a global leader in teaching, research, start-ups, and inventions.
Toronto itself is known as Hollywood North, along with Vancouver, due to its reputation as a global filming location. The city offers tax benefits, top-tier production studios with state-of-the-art facilities, and a skilled crew. Be it natural or urban settings, it provides a wide range of environments that can easily double for American towns and cities. It also hosts the highly-regarded Toronto International Film Festival, one of the biggest film festivals in the world. Tourist attractions in Toronto include High Park, Allan Gardens, Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto Islands, and Scarborough Bluffs.
Los Angeles, California
Several additional scenes were reportedly filmed in Los Angeles, California. Needless to say, taping all indoor scenes inside the campus may not have been possible, which led the production team to shift base, recreate several indoor backgrounds, and film the required scenes. The crew may have also captured various urban areas of the city, including the skyscrapers and streets, to double for those around the Yates University and contribute to the show’s world-building.
Production giants like Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. are all based in Los Angeles, along with numerous other production studios providing top-notch services. This naturally makes LA a major filming location for all kinds of films and shows, even from other countries. Popular shows shot there include ‘You,’ ‘The Residence,’ ‘Running Point,’ and ‘Forever.’ Well-known tourist spots and landmarks in LA include the iconic Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee, Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach, Hollywood Boulevard, and the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.
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