CW show ‘All American’ returns to film at El Camino

By Ari Martinez and Emily Gomez|March 7, 2023

Warner Brothers production crews for the CW show “All American” brought prop displays to the western entrance of the Administration Building at El Camino College on Tuesday, March 7. Set Decorator Adrianna Lopez said the crew will be filming a scene depicting a student fair on Friday, March 9. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Production crews from the CW series “All American” transformed El Camino College into Golden Angeles University for more filming of the current fifth season.

Inspired by a true story, “All American” centers around the character of Spencer James, a student from South Crenshaw who dreams of becoming a professional football player.

The character, portrayed by actor Daniel Ezra, currently attends the Golden Angeles campus and plays for its fictional football team. Other main characters in the show are portrayed by actors Samantha Logan and Taye Diggs.

A mass email from The Office of Marketing and Communications sent on March 6 advised students and employees the western entrance of the Administration Building will be closed on Thursday, March 9, but other entrances to the building will remain open for students and employees.

Filming will begin at 7 a.m. inside and near the Administration Building and is scheduled to finish at 8 p.m.

While El Camino police officers will be available to help direct pedestrian access in the area, the email said parking will not be affected.

This marks the sixth time since 2021 the production crew for ‘All American’ has filmed at El Camino College.

Students walk past a "Golden Angeles University" banner outside the El Camino College Humanities Building on Tuesday, March 7. GAU is the fictional setting of the CW show "All American." (Delfino Camacho | The Union)
Students walk past a “Golden Angeles University” banner outside the El Camino College Humanities Building on Tuesday, March 7. GAU is the fictional setting of the CW show “All American.” (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Director of Events and Facility Rentals Bridget Delahunt confirmed the filming schedule with The Union and added that while El Camino typically schedules film shoots on Fridays to lessen the impact on students, forecasted rain forced the production to film on Thursday.

“We will have breakdown and cleaning crews on campus Friday,” Delahunt confirmed with The Union.

Delahunt said the crew is scheduled to shoot another scene for the show next week from March 15-17, although details are still being worked out.

Warner Brothers Productions has picked up ‘All American’ for a sixth season and the office of events and facility rentals is currently in talks to coordinate future scenes to take place next fall.

Set dresser for ‘All American’ Adrianna Lopez said the production crew arrived on campus at 6 a.m. on Monday, March 6 to “dress the set.”

The process involves setting up props and decals to change the campus environment and make it appear as if a student fair is taking place at the fictional Golden Angeles University, one of the current settings for the show.

Some students like 24-year-old Jason Chois expressed enthusiasm seeing the crew as he passed by while others like 23-year-old Arianna Tarki expressed some concern.

“It [will] probably cause unwanted foot traffic,” Tarki said.