Described as “the quintessential resource for visiting the locations of your favorite films or television series,” FF2 Media Senior Contributor Lisa Iannucci recently authored the book On Location: A Film and TV Lover’s Travel Guide. The professional travel writer and self-proclaimed film buff takes readers across the country with more than 100 profiles about famous movie and television locations, from Star Trek to I Love Lucy in the book, published by Globe Pequot Press.
“The idea for the book came to me in mid-2016, when I realized how much I loved incorporating film/TV into my travels,” she said. “I was looking for some place to see related to a film or television show. I thought that others might want this information, too.”
The author of Healthy Travel: Don’t Leave Home Without It and founder of The Virgin Traveler wanted to write a book that combined her passion for film, television and travel with her experience writing about all three.
“I dreamed about being a travel writer from the time I was young, but life, as it does, took me in various directions,” she said. “I pursued writing more about film/TV. They are my passions. When I started writing some travel pieces about places to see, it was so much fun learning about a new destination, festivals, museum or tours that I realized this could be a good niche for me. “
With the help of state film offices and local film and TV tour companies, she highlights statues, museums, restaurants and more that provide the backdrop for several iconic films and TV series, “from John Wayne’s westerns to Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
On Location focuses on places to visit in the United States, but Iannucci is currently working on an international book and a newsletter to keep readers updated on new locations. She isn’t going to stop visiting them any time soon either.
“There are a few places I haven’t been to yet,” she said. “I can’t wait to stand on the site where M*A*S*H was filmed and I’m heading out to the Breaking Bad tour in Arizona later this year.”
“Television and film moves and entertains us and when we find one that we love so much, we just want to find different ways of keeping it in our lives, whether it be touring a destination or even taking a cruise with other fans who enjoyed it as much as we did,” Iannucci said on her motivation for writing the guidebook. “Sports fans travel to different stadiums. This is what film/TV fans do.”
The guidebook will serve as a source for fans who consider entertainment an important part of their daily lives. “Those who like this like I do enjoy it because it keeps their favorite shows alive. You feel closer to the show,” she said. “So many people are flying to Ireland for Games of Thrones tours because they want to feel like they are in the action that they see on television or in the movies.”
Though she likens choosing a favorite location to “choosing a favorite child,” she has a nostalgic preference for Jamestown, New York.
“When I was growing up, I idolized Lucille Ball. I knew that she was born in Jamestown, New York, but I didn’t know they had this museum to tour and festival to enjoy until about seven years ago,” she said. “I got there two years ago and had an absolute blast. I was there for the unveiling of the new Lucille Ball statue and I actually shed tears at her grave site. There are also museums dedicated to entertainers, and I love learning more about their lives. They’ve entertained us and make us laugh and cry, and that’s a gift. I want to honor that gift.”
On Location: A Film and TV Lover’s Travel Guide is now available for online pre-order through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It will be released as an eBook and paperback March 1.
Top Photo: On Location will be released March 1.
Bottom Photo: One of 100+ locations in Iannucci’s book, the Lucy-Desi Museum in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York.
