What California locations did Florencia Martin scout for the new film?

Martin scouted diverse locations including Sacramento, the Redwoods, desert areas, and specific sites like La Purísima Mission and a bank in Stockton.

How was the immigration detention camp designed for the movie?

The camp was built from the ground up on an active border-patrol road, creating a seamless blend of film set and real environment.

What inspired the design of Bob's escape tunnel?

The tunnel was based on hand-hewn cartel tunnels, designed with a sense of haphazardness to reflect the character's off-the-grid lifestyle.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Filmmaker's California: Deserts to Tunnels Explored

Filmmaker's California: Deserts to Tunnels Explored

2 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Production designer scouted diverse real-world California locations.
Film features a built-from-scratch immigration detention camp.
An escape tunnel based on cartel designs was constructed.

Filmmaker's California: Deserts to Tunnels Explored

Production designer Florencia Martin captured the authentic essence of California for Paul Thomas Anderson's latest epic, "One Battle After Another." Her extensive scouting led the team through diverse terrains, including Sacramento, the Redwoods, and desert landscapes, seeking to bring the state's realities to life.

The film's visual storytelling is anchored by meticulously crafted sets like an immigration detention camp, built on an active border patrol road, and a 60-foot tunnel designed to mimic cartel escape routes. These elements blur the lines between reality and fiction, immersing the audience in the narrative's gritty authenticity.

Martin's approach involved deep exploration, even drawing inspiration from a widowed woman's car-covered property for a character's home. The desert climax, a car chase filmed across multiple locations including Anza-Borrego, showcases the director's commitment to finding the perfect, often surprising, settings.