South of the Border

Rosarito, Baja California Mexico

The Magic of Movie Making ...

Story Ann Hazard

Do you remember James Cameron’s Titanic? Did you know that almost all of it was filmed in Baja, just below Rosarito? Well ... it was.

Built in 1996, after a worldwide search for an affordable location for Titanic, Fox Studios Baja is located on 40 acres overlooking the Pacific. It encompasses more than 2,000 feet of oceanfront property and is three miles south of Rosarito. Its unique location provides access to the dynamic technical and artistic expertise of both the US and Mexico. Plentiful hotels and visitor services in nearby Rosarito make its location convenient for tourists and visiting production companies alike. With the studio’s unobstructed ocean views and combined tank volume (in four tanks) of over 20 million gallons, its modern filtration plant with the capability of delivering 9,000 gallons of filtered sea water per minute, Fox Studios Baja is the premier facility for water related film work of any kind in the world today.

Back in 1996 and early ’97, every time my kids and I made the trip south to La Bufadora, we rubbernecked like your typical, gawking tourists whenever we drove by the brand-new Fox Studios Baja. We were curious to see what was going on with the enormous, nearly life-sized ocean liner that floated there in the world’s largest saltwater tank. We watched the ship being built. We watched it “sail.” We watched it sink—and it didn’t go down fast, like it did in real life or appeared to in the movie. Actually, it took several weeks to film Titanic’s descent into the deep.        

I’ll never forget driving south on the toll road one night in January of 1997. I was by myself, with Snugs as my traveling companion. The sky was pitch black. The full moon had just risen up over the mountains. From almost a mile away, I could see floodlights. Titanic, listing at more than a 45-degree angle, loomed up in front of me—solitary, stark and hanging there, suspended in its death throes out there in the darkness. My kids saw it too on our next trip down. Later, when I watched the movie on the big screen, one of my favorite scenes was when Rose and Jack stood together on the ship’s bow, as the aftermath of a spectacular sunset colored the sky in varying shades of magenta. We were supposed to believe they were in the north Atlantic. But I knew better. “Sunset over Rosarito Beach,” is always my comment whenever I see that scene in the movie.

You can bet it caused quite a stir in northern Baja when Hollywood came to town. In addition to regular star sightings and plenty of new jobs for the locals, Fox Studios’ arrival gave the resort town an extra boost of sexiness. It isn’t widely known that Titanic was filmed here. Hardly anyone knows that six other movies (thus far) have been made (at least partially) in Baja as well … movies like Deep Blue Sea, In Dreams, Weight of Water, Kung Pow—Enter the Fist, Tomorrow Never Dies, Jackass the Movie and Pearl Harbor.. Just this year, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany were in town filming the soon-to-be-released film, Master and Commander—The Far Side of the World. The TV series, Tremors—is filmed at Fox Baja. This spring, James Cameron came back to Rosarito to film part of the 3-D Imax film, Titantic: Ghost of the Abyss. According to Studio Manager Charlie Arneson, when several extras from the original Titanic returned to work on the project, it amazed him that Jim still remembered their names!

In May 2001 Fox Studios Baja opened Foxploration, its behind-the-scenes, movie-making park. This isn’t a kiddy theme park, although kids love it. As Charlie explained to me, Foxploration was conceived with a more sophisticated idea in mind—to offer the public an opportunity to go behind the scenes at a real working movie studio, and to learn firsthand about the production process in an entertaining and interactive way. 

Imagine yourself turning right off the free road and entering Fox Studios Baja, a 40-acre complex overlooking the Pacific—with more than 2,000 feet of oceanfront property. When you walk into Foxploration, you begin with a stroll down Canal Street, New York, an actual movie set depicting a typical lower Manhattan street. Behind the set is Cinemágico, which houses a variety of interactive exhibits, and gives you a chance to experience hands-on movie making. Exhibits include special visual and sound effects, model making, set construction, art design, editing, animation, cameras, lenses, lighting techniques and makeup. You and your kids can direct, act in and film your own movie sequence, take photos of yourselves flying in an old biplane against a green screen, putting your hand in Jaws’ mouth or climbing up the side of a skyscraper like Spiderman!

There’s a huge Titanic exhibit called Titanic Expo. Actual props, sets and costumes from the blockbuster film are on display. You can take a guided tour, learning the history of the ship and the making of the movie. Other interactive exhibits and movie footage from deep submersible dives reveal the Titanic, as it exists today on the sea floor. It’s a must to get a picture of yourself playing “King of the World” on the bow of Titanic.

Fox/JVC Presents is a state-of-the-art video screening room that allows you to view behind-the-scenes footage of recent Fox films, new Fox film previews, as well as other "making of" footage from productions filmed at Fox Studios Baja. There is also an art gallery that features different artists every month, showcasing the cream of Baja California art. Nearby is Xavier's School for the Gifted, where kids of all ages can have fun with 50,000 specially designed foam balls. 

But, in my mind, Dolly Plaza is the centerpiece of Foxploration. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Pacific, it features the original fountain from Hello Dolly. It’s also a "Sets Boneyard" where you can see and touch actual set pieces from well-known Fox films. Right next to the fountain is Las Olas Open-Air Amphitheater, the perfect venue for a concert under the stars. I know. On a perfect summer evening not too long ago, I enjoyed a combination art exhibit, wine tasting and concert by the multi-talented Cecilia Garcia. I also got to see a behind-the-scenes exhibit from Planet of the Apes II.

There’s even more to Foxploration, including the Props and Wardrobe Bodega that is a working part of Fox Studios Baja and is used by movie production companies that film at the studio. There is food, and shopping too. Because Foxploration is dedicated to promoting the best of Baja, you can expect to find Tecate beer, brewed nearby in the town of the same name and topnotch wines from the nearby Guadalupe Valley. If you visit, don’t expect to be allowed to photograph the twin ships left over from the filming of Master and Commander. Movie companies are very particular about keeping things secret until after a film’s release date!

You can drive to Foxploration or hop a ride on an air-conditioned MexiCoach bus at the border. For information, visit http://gototijuana.com/mexicoach/ or call 619-428-9517. If you’re driving, take the scenic Tijuana-Ensenada Toll Road road from the border to Rosarito. Right before the second tollgate, you’ll see a sign there that reads, “La Paloma, Popotla, Calafia.” Exit to the right (or cut through the Pemex parking lot if you miss it) and make a left turn (south) on the free road. Follow this road for about five minutes, until you reach Fox Studios Baja and Foxploration at Kilometer 32.8—right before the huge white arch at Popotla. For more information, visit www.foxploration.com or call 011-52-661-614-9444. For hotels, restaurants and other tourist information, visit www.rosaritobch.org or call 1-800-962-BAJA.