Hollywood in Borrego is a field trip into the illusion of geography and cinematography. The movie industry has always looked for fresh landscapes in which to portray its stories and give a sense of authenticity to their backdrops. This part of Southern California has seen it's share of the movie industry coming to this region and portraying Europe, Sahara Desert, Mexico, out of this world landscapes and just a barren looking backdrop to give a sense of time passed. It has been a mecca for car commercials and fashion catalog companies looking for a contrast of their product against a foreign or alien background. 

Borrego movies started in 1920 with an independent movie produced and filmed and starring Nell Shipman. Ms Shipman was one of the many early female cinematographers in the 20’s who made films for commercial consumption. Her early film, SOMETHING NEW, was an early infomercial and action film shot in the Borrego Badlands and other parts of the region. It was a story focused on the durability of the Maxwell, a car manufactured then and made famous by Jack Benny in his television programs. 

From such early beginnings, film companies have come into the region to make war films, sci-fi films, action adventure films and comedies. There currently are 82 known features and short films produced using the Anza-Borrego Desert as the backdrop. Film historians and researchers continue looking for more films that might have been filmed in this region. 

Hollywood in Borrego is a glimpse into the cinemagraphic past of this region. Many films shot here have their stories. The field trip offered will explore the films known to have been shot here and have some background stories about those films and stars. Travel to the locations where those films were shot is a major part of this field trip. Altogether, this trip is a wonderful journey down memory lane.