The bachelor franchise has been the most recognizable dating reality series with the iconic red rose immunity and the herculean task of dating multiple women to finally select the right “ONE.” With over 2 decades since its first airing and dozens of countries adapting the franchise to make it their own, it was a sheer pleasure when we found out that this franchise was considering filming in Sri Lanka.
Our little island is still, at best, a secret gem for dating reality productions. Filming reality television comes with its own set of uncertainties and challenges that need to be addressed but facing this in a relatively far away exotic land could be an added challenge.
Fear not my friends, we are here to put your doubts to rest as we at Circle 360 have yet again pulled off the task of producing a one-of-a-kind luxurious, romantic, and exotic adventure that could only be filmed in Sri Lanka. This is a story of success we want to share with you and will give you a glimpse of what to expect if you are a dating reality show producer considering to film in Sri Lanka.
1. Primary Filming Villa
The action takes place predominantly in one solitary villa, a golden cage for the dozen female contestants who want to win the heart of the bachelor. We found the perfect location in the Galle district that amalgamated all the right elements of being luxurious yet kept the Sri Lankan charm. The pool terrace area also was a beautiful location to host the many rose ceremonies, where each day one contestant will be eliminated.
Having such a versatile main filming villa gave us the opportunity to film multiple sections of the villa, sync shots and B rolls. This secluded villa gave the contestants the privacy to build up a lot of emotions and drama that was pivotal for the making of a good show.
When filming in Sri Lanka, nothing is too far away from reach. The beach was a 3-minute drive and many date locations within 30 minutes’ drive were available.
2. Date Locations
Away from the drama and restrictions of the main filming villa, a lucky contestant/s get to escape the golden cage to have a more private session with the bachelor. The idea of this is for the bachelor to have a deeper connection with the contestants so he makes the best-informed decision in the finale. The dates could be extravagant like a day out in a yacht to a not so pleasant experience of cleaning fish from a local fish market.
One of the main advantages of filming in Sri Lanka is the exotic dates you could encapsulate the audience with. You could be bathing an elephant in a Buddhist temple, be with many exotic animals in a safari or sailing the Indian ocean in a yacht. Let us look at some of the tried and tested date activities that the bachelor beautifully staged while filming in Sri Lanka.
3. Horse ride on the Beach
Gorgeous French horses traversing through a beautiful empty beach is not something you will film in Sri Lanka every day. But we have managed to stage this activity many times flawlessly.
The horse trainers make sure they give all the right tips for the bachelor and his date to ride side by side into the sunset. “Koggala beach” is ideal for the activity as it has an untouched beach stretch that is away from the hustle and bustle of crowded touristy beaches. Ideal for a romantic horse ride.
4. Bathing an Elephant in a Buddhist Temple.
Sri Lanka is blessed with one of the largest land mammals on earth – The Elephant! This is an animal that has been tied with ancient Buddhist traditions for centuries. The ancient tooth relic of Lord Buddha is always carried on top of the most decorated tusker elephant in Sri Lanka. When filming in Sri Lanka you have a great opportunity to film with these gentle giants.
The Elephant residing in the Buddhist temple must be bathed every day and the bachelor and his beautiful date got right in there to help with the scrubbing and washing the elephant. Sri Lankan Buddhist temples have its own allure and charm, often with towering statues of Lord Buddha and beautiful stupas. Some have stood for centuries and it is an integral part of Sri Lankan culture that can be portrayed when filming in Sri Lanka.
5. Jungle Camping with a Local Fortune teller.
Filming in Sri Lanka is usually centered around the coastal areas where the sun, luxury and paradise is found in abundance. There is also a lesser-known side, those are the thick tropical jungles which host thousands of species of life and has a mysterious energy.
This was encapsulated in an elaborate group date where the bachelor had to spend a night in the wild jungle with many contestants. The mystery deepens as they are encountered by a fortune teller in the jungle that will give them a glimpse of their own selves.
6. Conclusion.
We have only discussed a fraction of the possibilities that are existing for filming in Sri Lanka. On the next part, we will highlight more date locations that were prominent in the show. This will give you a great idea on how you can add various exotic elements from a vastly different land and culture to a European or western audience.
