Location Alternatives for Boston

Some call it the Hub, and for New England it certainly is. It's the state capital, home to some of the most famous colleges and universities, and a leader in technology and healthcare. It's also home to small streets, insane traffic,

noise, congestion, and an occasional rental truck driver who doesn't ' read the signs on Storrow Drive.

In Boston, we call this the annual "shearing of the truck" and it usually coincides with college move in day. So what does this all have to do with Boston video production? Well, as much as we love filming in our home city, sometimes it's nice to shoot in a location that gives us the look and feel of Boston, without all the nonsense, permits and double parking.

For city scenes, downtown Providence can be a great alternative. You get all of the look with a little more room to breathe. Try down along the waterfront or in Kennedy plaza.

If it's a Faneuil Hall vibe you are looking for, head north to Lowell and check out the Canalway Cultural district. Open air restaurants, and plenty of cobblestones under foot can be a great alternative.

Harvard University is notoriously stingy with filming permits. Most of "Harvard" in the movies is shot at other campuses. For an alternative to the famous Harvard Library front steps,

Check out the American Museum of Natural History on the campus of Bridgewater State College. It's got that pillar vibe and New England college feel, and if they ask for a permit, of course you're just a grad student working on a student film.

The Boston Public Garden is another great spot with a lot of iconic spaces. But be prepared to lug your equipment in and dodge tons of tourists. For an alternative you can head back south to Roger Williams Park in Providence. It has many unique spots with great mature tree lined paths, and even some water features. You're still on your own for the duck boats.

These are just a few suggestions. Sometimes a Boston video production has to be just that- a Boston video production. After all, you can't fake Fenway Park, or put Paul Revere's statue in the middle of Waltham. But with a little bit of scouting, there are some great alternatives on the outskirts of the city that can give you that Boston look minus some of the stress of a Boston shoot.