Netflix’s Below makes Snook’s Arm feel like one isolated Newfoundland fishing town—but the real-world story is more interesting: the series was filmed across several communities and coastal locations, not in one town that simply stood in for the fictional place. Production-location records point to St. John’s and the surrounding area, Brigus South, Pouch Cove, Bay Bulls, Harbour Main, and Twillingate. The key distinction is that these are filming locations; available evidence does not identify any one of them as the complete real-life equivalent of Snook’s Arm.
The distinction matters for anyone hoping to visit the places behind the show. A dramatic harbor in a scene may not be the same location as the town’s research lab or a separate stretch of open water. The best-supported way to explore Below is to follow documented filming locations rather than assume every fictional street, wharf, and house belongs to one real community.
Is Snook’s Arm a real Newfoundland town?
Snook’s Arm is the fictional community at the center of Below, where fisherman Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett, fights to protect his family and a close-knit town from a mysterious threat beneath the sea. Netflix’s official cast guide describes the series as filmed on location in Newfoundland and says creator Jesse McKeown drew inspiration from the province’s rugged landscape.
There is a real Newfoundland place historically spelled Snook’s Arm, but that does not prove the production used it as the show’s main filming base. Netflix’s own Canadian filming-location guide lists multiple locations across the island. The safest conclusion is that the fictional setting draws on Newfoundland’s broader coastal character while the production used several real places to create it.
Brigus South: a harbor with direct production evidence
Brigus South is one of the most specifically documented locations associated with the series. A provincial environmental permit issued in July 2025 authorized temporary fish stages, wharves, and related set dressing at Brigus South Harbour for a Netflix production. That is stronger evidence than a vague online claim that a scenic village “looks like” the show.
There is an important limit, however: the permit records what was authorized, not proof that every planned structure was ultimately built. It also does not label Brigus South Harbour as Snook’s Arm or assign a particular scene to each structure. Brigus South is a confirmed production location—not a verified one-to-one map of the fictional town.
Pouch Cove and the real ocean scenes
Pouch Cove is another location connected to the production. Provincial records describe plans for filming at Marine Park, including a proposed wharf on Little Herring Cove Pond. Those records document the planned production activity; they do not establish that every proposed structure was completed or identify the exact scene filmed there.
Netflix has also confirmed that the crew filmed ocean scenes on Newfoundland’s actual waters rather than relying entirely on green screen. Charlie Heaton told Tudum that the cast and crew went out on the water with the Coast Guard and that he kayaked in the ocean. Netflix has not publicly pinned every ocean sequence to a specific bay or harbor, so it would be misleading to assign all of those scenes to Brigus South or Pouch Cove.
St. John’s, Bay Bulls, Harbour Main, and Twillingate
The Canadian filming-location guide lists several other places connected to Below, including St. John’s, Bay Bulls, Harbour Main, and Twillingate. In St. John’s, Netflix’s cast guide identifies the Ocean Sciences Centre as the filming location used for marine researcher Fonda Howander’s laboratory. That gives viewers a specific, documented connection between a real institution and the series’ fictional science setting.
The guide also lists Pennecon Marine Base in Bay Bulls, Rising Tide Convenience in Harbour Main, and locations in Twillingate. These entries help show how a production can assemble a believable fictional community from different real places. They should not be read as proof that every listed site is open to visitors, that a particular scene was shot at every location, or that the places are tourist attractions maintained by Netflix.
Why Newfoundland was the right setting
Newfoundland is more than a dramatic backdrop for Below. Its exposed coastline, working harbors, fishing heritage, and tight-knit communities all help the show feel rooted in a particular place. Creator Jesse McKeown has spoken about the province’s combination of rugged isolation and warm, welcoming people. The cast also spent time with local residents and learned from people who understood the region’s speech and fishing culture.
That local texture makes the fictional Snook’s Arm feel credible, even though the production used multiple locations. A harbor can provide the fishing-town atmosphere, a research facility can become a scientist’s lab, and open ocean can supply the danger and scale the story needs. The final setting is a screen-created community built from real Newfoundland places and lived experience.
Behind-the-scenes post: Below on the water
A social-media post from Bloody Disgusting highlights a boat scene associated with the series. Embedded posts can sometimes change or become unavailable if the original publisher removes them.
View the original post from Bloody Disgusting on X
For more official background, read Netflix Tudum’s cast and character guide and its production and photo guide. The Canadian filming-location directory also provides a useful list of places associated with the show.
Can you visit the places where Below was filmed?
Some named locations are real places, but check access, opening hours, and local guidance before planning a visit. A public road or waterfront does not necessarily mean a production site is open for tours, and temporary sets may have been removed after filming. Be respectful of working harbors, private property, and residents’ privacy. The most practical starting point is the official Canadian filming-location directory, followed by the relevant town or site’s own visitor information.
Frequently asked questions
Which real town became Snook’s Arm in Below?
No single town has been verified as the complete real-life stand-in for Snook’s Arm. The series filmed across multiple Newfoundland locations, including Brigus South, Pouch Cove, St. John’s and surrounding areas, Bay Bulls, Harbour Main, and Twillingate.
Was Below filmed in Brigus South?
Yes. Brigus South is listed among the production locations, and a provincial permit documents authorized set-dressing work at Brigus South Harbour. The permit does not prove that the harbor represents every part of fictional Snook’s Arm.
Were the ocean scenes filmed in a real ocean?
Netflix says the production filmed ocean scenes on Newfoundland’s actual waters. The specific locations for every water sequence have not been publicly identified.
Where was Fonda Howander’s laboratory filmed?
Netflix Tudum identifies the Ocean Sciences Centre in the St. John’s area as the location used for the marine research laboratory scenes.
Sources and further reading
- Netflix Tudum: Below cast and characters
- Netflix Tudum: Below filming information and photos
- Netflix in Your Neighbourhood: Below filming locations in Canada
- SCENE 49: Research on Newfoundland filming locations
By Shivam Das
