Netflix’s Below may take place in the fictional fishing town of Snook’s Arm, but its rugged harbors, working boats, rocky coastline, and close-knit community were shaped by real places in Newfoundland and Labrador. The production filmed across several communities around the St. John’s region and beyond, bringing cast and crew into places where the Atlantic is part of everyday life. “Overnight” is a useful way to describe how a quiet community can suddenly appear on screens around the world—not a claim that the entire town was rebuilt in a single night.
Netflix’s official Tudum production guide confirms that Below was filmed in Newfoundland. Netflix’s Canadian filming-location directory lists several specific places associated with the production, including Brigus South, Pouch Cove, Harbour Main, Bay Bulls, St. John’s, and Twillingate. Those real locations helped create the fictional world without requiring every scene to be filmed in one town.
Why Newfoundland was the right setting
Creator Jesse McKeown has described Newfoundland as rugged, isolated, and visually distinctive, but also warm and full of eccentricities. That contrast is essential to Below. Its coast can look forbidding in one shot and inviting in the next; its fishing communities can feel remote while remaining socially close-knit.
The story follows fisherman Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett, as an unexplained sea creature threatens his hometown and the community’s already fragile way of life. The setting is not merely scenery: fishing, family history, economic uncertainty, and a powerful attachment to home all shape the drama.
The real places behind Snook’s Arm
Snook’s Arm is the fictional community at the center of the series, but viewers can trace parts of the production to actual Newfoundland locations. Netflix’s location directory names the Harbour Authority of Brigus South, Marine Park in Pouch Cove, the Ocean Sciences Centre near St. John’s, Pennecon Marine Base in Bay Bulls, the Pouch Cove Heritage Society, Rising Tide Convenience in Harbour Main, and Twillingate.
These are not interchangeable places, and the directory does not mean every location served as a direct stand-in for the fictional town. Instead, the production drew on a regional patchwork of coastal environments, facilities, and community spaces. For a television crew, that flexibility can provide the variety needed to tell a story while keeping the landscape recognizably Newfoundland.
How a small community becomes a major production location
A location shoot brings more than actors into a community. It can involve camera and sound crews, transport, equipment, accommodation, catering, local suppliers, and coordination with property owners and public authorities. Filming can also mean temporary changes around roads, docks, businesses, and working waterfronts. The exact footprint varies by scene and location, so it would be misleading to claim that every listed town experienced the same level of disruption or benefit.
For coastal productions, the environment itself adds logistical demands. Weather changes quickly, boats and docks are working spaces rather than decorative backdrops, and the sea can limit when a scene is safe to shoot. The result can look effortless on screen, but capturing a convincing harbor scene takes planning and cooperation from people who know the area.
Local knowledge helped the fictional town feel real
Netflix’s interviews with the cast describe how actors spent time learning about Newfoundland’s culture and working life. Hartnett researched the region, spoke with local actors and fishermen, and practiced tying fishing nets for his role. Charlie Heaton also spent time around local bars and residents while learning the dialect. Those details matter because a convincing small-town drama depends on more than landscape: speech, habits, work, and the way people relate to one another all contribute to authenticity.
The production’s sense of place is especially important in a story about a community under pressure. When characters argue over the future of their town, the harbor and homes around them help viewers understand what is at stake. The town is not just a backdrop to the monster; it is the reason the characters keep fighting.
Can you visit the places where Below was filmed?
Some publicly accessible places connected to the production can be found through Netflix in Your Neighbourhood’s Below location guide. Before visiting, check local access rules and opening hours, respect private property, and remember that harbors and marine facilities may be active workplaces. A location appearing in a show does not automatically make it a tourist attraction or guarantee public access.
For fans, the best approach is to treat the series as a starting point for discovering Newfoundland—not as a promise that every scene corresponds to a single, easily recognizable address. The region’s coastline, fishing heritage, and community history existed long before the cameras arrived and will remain after the production has moved on.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Netflix’s Below filmed?
Below was filmed in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Netflix’s Canadian location directory lists production locations including Brigus South, Pouch Cove, Harbour Main, Bay Bulls, St. John’s, and Twillingate.
Is Snook’s Arm a real Newfoundland town?
No. Snook’s Arm is the fictional community in Below. The series uses real Newfoundland locations to create its coastal setting.
Did Netflix transform a town overnight to film Below?
There is no reliable evidence that an entire town was transformed in a single night. The phrase describes how quickly a small community can become widely recognized when a major series is released. The production filmed across multiple real locations in the region.
Who stars in Below?
The series stars Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penney, Charlie Heaton as Wade Penney, and Mackenzie Davis as marine researcher Fonda Howander.
Sources and further reading
- Netflix Tudum: Below filming location, cast, and production background
- Netflix in Your Neighbourhood: Below filming-location directory
- Netflix Tudum: Josh Hartnett on researching Newfoundland for Below
By Shivam Das
