Tam Estate?

POSTED BY: C66
UPDATED: Monday, October 14, 2013 10:32
VIEWED: 14485
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C66

Saturday, November 26, 2011 5:07 PM

Hi all,
Does anyone happen to know where the exterior shots of the Tam Estate in "Safe" were filmed? It's such a gorgeous house, and I've been trying to figure out where it might be located. The Craftsman-like architecture made me think it might be in Pasadena, California, but I haven't been able to track down any evidence of a Joss Whedon production being filmed there...

Thanks,
C66

PENNAUSAMIKE

Monday, November 28, 2011 5:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by C66:
Hi all,
Does anyone happen to know where the exterior shots of the Tam Estate in "Safe" were filmed?
SNIP

Thanks,
C66

At this point in time, "NO", but the architecture is similar to the Gamble House.

http://www.gamblehouse.org/

Quote:

Ultimate bungalow is a term most commonly used to describe very large and detailed Craftsman style homes, taking the bungalow style and interpreting it on a large scale. The style is associated with such California architects as Greene and Greene, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan. Some of the hallmarks of Greene and Greene's ultimate bungalows include the use of rich tropical woods such as mahogany, ebony and teak, and generous use of inlays of wood, metal and mother-of-pearl.

The ultimate bungalows include:

* Gamble House in Pasadena, California
* William R. Thorsen House in Berkeley, California
* Robert R. Blacker House in Pasadena, California
* Madison House in Pasadena, California (now headquarters of Pasadena Heritage)
* Charles M. Pratt House in Ojai, California
* John T. Greene Residence in Sacramento, California

From this information, (and 3,000 miles away),
I've been trying to find the location of the Tam Estate, myself.
Not having much luck.

The next logical approach is to contact Firefly location manager, Peter M. Robarts.
Not having much luck finding contact info, tho'.

If you just like the architecture, the info above will give you lots to look at.
If you are like a handful of us Firefly collector fanatics, you want to know where THE Tam Estate is.
If you find anything, please pass it along!

Good Luck,
Mike

C66

Monday, November 28, 2011 6:15 PM

Hi Mike!

Thank you SO much for this info! I agree... it really does evoke one of the Craftsman ultimate bungalows. There’s one hint, though, that might exclude it from being an actual Craftsman; the exterior walls are covered with plaster, not wooden shingles. I suspect that, because of this, it was built sometime in the 1920s, instead of closer to the turn of the 20th century. Now, it’s also possible that there was some structural damage to the house, and recent owners decided to cover new construction or renovation with plaster instead of re-shingling the entire house. If this were the case, then I don’t think it’s located in Pasadena. Folks in Pasadena take an enormous amount of pride in their Craftsmans, and go to painstaking measures to preserve the historical accuracy of their houses (I have some friends who moved into a Greene & Greene house, and they spent two years trying to track down the right kitchen lights!). It might be somewhere slightly out of the city, perhaps in Ojai, or Ventura, or maybe even up north in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Regarding the show’s location manager: I couldn’t find any contact info online either, although it seems there might be a way of getting in touch with him through imdb pro. I might know someone who could get into that site. But, as a resident of Los Angeles, with several friends in the film and television industry, I’m sure I could track the guy down through other means if need be. The LA world can be a bizarrely small one!

Like you, I want to know where THE Tam Estate is. I love Craftsman architecture, but, as a die-hard fan, I want to know where the actual filming location is.

Thanks for all of your help, and I’ll be sure to let you know if I find anything. I’m so glad there’s someone else out there as fixated on this as I am!

Best,
C66

PENNAUSAMIKE

Monday, November 28, 2011 6:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by C66:
Hi Mike!

SNIP

Like you, I want to know where THE Tam Estate is. I love Craftsman architecture, but, as a die-hard fan, I want to know where the actual filming location is.

Thanks for all of your help, and I’ll be sure to let you know if I find anything. I’m so glad there’s someone else out there as fixated on this as I am!

Best,
C66

If you are interested in Firefly filming locations, join:
www.fireflyprops.net

It is a prop fan board, but like most fanatically interested fans/collectors,
the folks on ffprops are interested in nearly every aspect of the show,
including extended universe stuff.

These threads are about the filming locations:

The Train Job
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=538

Bushwacked
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=504

Safe (where I mentioned your inquiry)
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=524

Jaynestown
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=573

Ariel
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=536

Trash
http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=581

And that is just a start.
I have a fair amount of info, on my computer and in print form,
that I haven't even begun to sort through or organize.

Any info you can find would be greatly appreciated
and adding it to ffprops would make it readily available to help others as well!

Mike

FLORALBUNNY

Monday, November 28, 2011 8:06 PM

Dagnabbit, I KNOW this question was answered previously, but can't find it on the board. The exterior looks like part of Gamble, and the interior could, quite frankly, be anywhere. In my (admittedly first-hand theatrical, movie only second-hand) experience, that interior could have been cobbled together in a flash for possibly less than getting interior filming permission (insurance expense, among other things) and doing location filming with all the extra expense that entails.

bun

PENNAUSAMIKE

Monday, November 28, 2011 11:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by FloralBunny:
Dagnabbit, I KNOW this question was answered previously, but can't find it on the board.
The exterior looks like part of Gamble, and the interior could, quite frankly, be anywhere.
SNIP
bun

The large wooden columns are different than the Gamble House,
at least from any angle I've seen thus far.

Quote:
Originally posted by C66:

SNIP
Craftsman ultimate bungalows. There’s one hint, though, that might exclude it from being an actual Craftsman; the exterior walls are covered with plaster, not wooden shingles.
SNIP

Best,
C66

In the screencap I have, it definitely looks like shingles.

http://www.caps.swannees-place.com/firefly/displayimage.php?pid=3234&f
ullsize=1

I'll post the pic I have later tonight/tomorrow.

Far as the interior, I'm pretty certain it was shot in a different home.
The windows are different than the interior shot windows.

http://www.caps.swannees-place.com/firefly/displayimage.php?pid=3235&f
ullsize=1

I'd like nothing better than to get more info and an address on the "Tam Estate".

Mike

ECGORDON

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 12:37 AM

I've emailed Christopher Buchanan about it. Hopefully he will know and reply soon. He's the only one of the production team I have a contact for.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

PENNAUSAMIKE

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 4:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:

I've emailed Christopher Buchanan about it.
Hopefully he will know and reply soon.
He's the only one of the production team I have a contact for.

That sounds great!
It would be neat to add the Tam Estate to the list of "found" locations.

Mike

FLORALBUNNY

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 5:54 PM

My brainfart. Those are terrific caps.
I've looked at several other exteriors and haven't come up with a match.
I don't recognize the interior at all. Note the apparent angles on either side as clues.

bun
putting a cool cloth over eyes now...

C66

Saturday, December 31, 2011 7:35 AM

My guess is that the interior is a set, or a building elsewhere -- the cavernous rooms of the Tam Estate seem a little incongruous with the Craftsman exterior. Craftsmans tend to be a little cozier on the inside. And Mike, those are definitely shingles! I hadn't seen that decent a photo of the house before. Post Rose-Parade, I might do a drive around some of the more Craftsman-laden parts of Pasadena and try looking for it. Unlikely that I'll find it, but one never knows!

Best,
C66

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