Issa Rae Productions, HBO, Warner Bros.
Thank you to the Insecure team–creator Issa Rae, producer Amy Aniobi, exec producer Prentice Penny, director Melina Matsoukas, cinematographer Ava Berkofsky, director of photography Michelle Lawler to name a few, who have worked together to draw out a compelling, loving, and relevant portrait of Los Angeles. For the five-season run of the HBO breakout series, the team has created stunningly lit shots of iconic locations for their cast of characters to engage.
A typical network comedy does about four days on stage and one day on location. To create a more intimate portrait of Los Angeles, Insecure flips it, shooting about five days on location and one day on stage per episode. L.A., specifically, South L.A., where both creator Issa Rae and executive producer Prentice Penny are from, acts as the backdrop more often than not. They’re passionate about showcasing South L.A. in a positive, loving light. They bypass images typically shown of L.A., for the realness of current L.A. including new murals of Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant to name a few.
The portrait is so of the moment, so reverent, I want to wrap my arms around L.A. and squeeze it. The series also features is an array of local restaurants and culinary delights, for which I am now determined to make a pilgrimage. Don’t be surprised if you see me wearing an I Love L.A. t-shirt while eating a couple of Worldwide Tacos in front of The Dunes apartment building.