A movie ranch is a ranch that is at least partially dedicated for use as a set in the creation and production of motion pictures and television shows. These were developed in the United States in southern California, because of the climate.
Movie ranches were developed in the s for location shooting in Southern California to support the making of popular western films. Finding it difficult to recreate the topography of the Old West on sound stages and studio backlots , the Hollywood studios went to the rustic valleys, canyons and foothills of Southern California for filming locations. Other large-scale productions, such as war films, also needed large, undeveloped settings for outdoor scenes, such as battles.
To achieve greater scope, productions conducted location shooting in distant parts of California, Arizona , and Nevada. Initially production staff were required to cover their own travel expenses, resulting in disputes between workers and the studios. The studios agreed to pay union workers extra if they worked out of town.
To solve this problem, many movie studios purchased large tracts of undeveloped rural land, in many cases existing ranches , that were located closer to Hollywood. The natural California landscape proved to be suitable for western locations and other settings. As a result of post-war WWII era suburban development, property values and taxes on land increased, even as fewer large parcels were available to the studios.
Los Angeles development was widespread, resulting in urban sprawl. Most of the historic movie ranches have been sold and subdivided. A few have been preserved as open space in regional parks , and are sometimes still used for filming. To support continued use of the remaining ranches in its jurisdiction, the Santa Clarita Municipal Code was amended in to establish a "Movie Ranch Overlay Zone" which grants operating ranches added zoning benefits, such as helicopter landing permission and hour indoor and outdoor filming where not adjacent to residences.
