While many filmmakers always strive for authenticity in their films, hard economic truths often mean that compromises have to be made. Filming locations are usually one of the first budgets to get chopped, meaning that productions usually end up heading to a few film-friendly locations. Here are just a few of the most popular.

Malta

Thanks to a dry environment and excellent coastal scenery, Malta has long been a stand-in for virtually any setting around the Mediterranean Sea. Claims to fame include use in epics such as Gladiator and Troy, as well as a surprisingly effective role as the city of Jerusalem in World War Z, thanks to Middle-Eastern architectural styles.

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Beyond the location and financial incentives for productions, Malta has invested heavily in specialist filming facilities like the Malta Film Studios, home to some of the largest water tanks in the world. These massive tanks allow for both indoor and outdoor filming above and below the water in carefully controlled environments. They have been used for everything from coastal storms to submarine shots in one location.

Atlanta

The American city in the southern state of Georgia isn’t the first thought in most minds about picturesque filming locations, but as a cityscape, it is incredibly popular. It has served as a backdrop for everything from blockbuster projects like Baby Driver to smaller recent projects that use winning the lottery as a plot hook in film and TV, like the recent Jerry & Marge Go Large.

What makes Atlanta attractive for filmmakers is partly its ability to stand in for major cities in areas like California but with a lower price for filming locations, amenities and all the other costs that come along with a production. There is also a healthy tax break incentive within the city, so financially it makes a lot of sense as a filming location.

Ireland

Another country with a tax credit incentive for filmmakers, this one at a hefty 32%, Ireland is also popular as a stand-in for all kinds of movies. Unlike the examples above, the Irish landscape is a lot more flexible in what it can represent. It was famously used for large parts of the Scottish highland scenes in Braveheart, has an iconic scene in the more recent Star Wars films, and even served as France in Saving Private Ryan.

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What separates Ireland is how strong the local movie industry has become, with a large number of Irish stories reaching the silver screen over the years. Big productions like The Wind That Shakes the Barley have been noteworthy, while recent films like Belfast have even claimed some Academy Award glory. In turn, it means there’s a lot of interest in films in general in the country, making extras a lot easier to come by than elsewhere.

While film location can be limited by money, it’s important to remember that each location also has benefits of its own. Keep this in mind if you’re looking to direct!