The Scout’s Report · La La Land
The magic hour above Los Angeles
How La La Land chased the light across the city.
By Marcus BellPublished 5 min read
Racing the sun
Damien Chazelle wanted his film to look like a classic musical. That meant shooting many scenes at magic hour, the short time after sunset when the sky glows.
The crew had only a few minutes each evening to get the shot.
The crew had only a few minutes each evening to get the shot.
A railway brought back to life
Angels Flight was closed when the film was made. The production got permission to run it for the scene. It reopened to the public in 2017.
Visiting today
Plan the day to end at Hermosa Beach Pier at sunset, and visit Griffith Observatory on another evening for the city lights.