Ep. 5: Jeremiah Chechik at the Griswolds' House from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

Ep. 5: Jeremiah Chechik at the Griswolds' House from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

Author: Jared Cowan December 21, 2017 Duration: 50:46
"It's a beaut, Clark, it's a beaut!" In a very special holiday episode of "On Location", "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" director Jeremiah Chechik returns to the Griswolds' house for the first time in almost 30 years. We talk about filming the beloved holiday classic at the Warner Bros. Ranch and what it took to create the look of an authentic Chicago winter while filming during the summer in Burbank, CA. Chechik discusses the fact that the wildly popular film was his first as a feature director, working with the great John Hughes, and why some of his favorite moments in the film are among the least comedic.

Ever wonder what it was really like to stand on that iconic street corner or inside that legendary movie set? On Location with Jared Cowan takes you there, microphone in hand. Hosted by photographer and film journalist Jared Cowan, this isn't just a discussion about scenes; it's an audio tour guided by the people who created them. Jared’s deep expertise, rooted in years of writing about Los Angeles filming locations-starting with an early deep-dive into the San Fernando Valley spots used in "The Karate Kid"-informs every conversation. Each episode is recorded on-site at the actual places where cinematic magic happened, featuring candid talks with the directors, crew, and actors who have stories you’ve never heard. The podcast pulls back the curtain on the practical realities, unexpected challenges, and fleeting moments of genius that occur when a location becomes a character. You’ll get the sense of standing beside Jared as he asks the questions that reveal how a simple place is transformed into an unforgettable piece of film history. It’s for anyone who has ever watched a movie and wanted to linger in that world just a little longer, understanding the concrete details behind the illusion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

On Location with Jared Cowan
Podcast Episodes
Episode 16 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
On this episode of On Location with Jared Cowan, location managers from L.A., New York City, Florida, Michigan, and Athens, Greece, give us the inside stories on filming locations from "True Lies," "Arachnophobia," "Insi…
Episode 15 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:51
Continuing our stay-at-home efforts that began in Episode 14, eleven location professionals from Seattle to Italy talk some of their favorite filming locations.
Episode 14 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:24
In a temporary departure from our normal format, fourteen location professionals from across North America discuss some of the locations that have left indelible impressions on their careers.
Ep. 11: Tim Hillman at the Fox Fire Room from "Magnolia" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:22
For the 20th anniversary of Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 San Fernando Valley mosaic, "Magnolia," we were "up before the dawn" to meet location manager Tim Hillman at one of the film's most recognizable shooting locations.…
Ep. 9: Rob Gibson at Vincenzo's Pizza from "Drive" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:40
Location manager Rob Gibson returns to Vincenzo's Pizza, the setting of Nino's Pizzeria from Nicolas Winding Refn's gritty L.A. fable, "Drive." Gibson breaks down the challenges and successes of assembling locations for…
Ep. 7: Robert Foulkes at the Bowtie Project from "Destroyer" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:39
Our first episode about a brand new film focuses on the locations from Karyn Kusama's L.A. detective drama, DESTROYER. Location Manager Robert Foulkes joins us along the banks of the L.A. River at one of the film's main…