Maps of Movies

The Big Short (2015)

Where The Big Short says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

The Florida housing boom was shot in New Orleans, the Las Vegas forum mostly in a New Orleans casino, and only the Lehman lobby is a New York recreation

Scenes and places

Burry bets against the housing market (2005)

Burry concludes the housing market rests on unstable subprime loans and goes to the banks to buy credit default swaps. The premiums are so high that his main client, Lawrence Fields, accosts him; Burry holds firm.

Set in Scion Capital meetings with the banks — Burry calls on major banks to buy credit default swaps against the housing market, and pays heavy monthly premiums for them.

Vennett pitches the short (2005)

A Deutsche Bank executive mentions Burry's deals to Jared Vennett, who sees an opportunity. He pitches the fraud he sees in seemingly safe bonds to a FrontPoint trader, and Mark Baum is moved by it.

Set in Deutsche Bank, Jared Vennett's desk — A Deutsche Bank trader hears about Burry's dealings and sets out to find investors for the same bet.

The pitch deck on the lobby table (2005)

Geller and Shipley come across Vennett's presentation on a lobby coffee table and are instantly convinced. Their fund is too small to trade on its own, so they go on to look for help.

Set in JPMorgan Chase lobby — Charlie Geller and Jamie Shipley find Vennett's presentation on a coffee table in the lobby.

South Florida's empty houses (2007)

Baum's team goes to south Florida to test Vennett's claims. They find empty neighborhoods and mortgage brokers who admit to fraudulent practices, and then decide to invest.

Set in Empty housing developments in south Florida — FrontPoint's team visits south Florida to check Vennett's claims.

The securitization forum in Las Vegas (2007)

Geller, Shipley and Rickert fly to Las Vegas to the American Securitization Forum, where bankers are unconcerned about defaults. Baum also attends and learns from a CDO manager how large the synthetic CDO market is.

Set in American Securitization Forum, Las Vegas — Geller, Shipley and Rickert, and later Baum, attend the forum.

Filmed at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas — Staff shot a small number of pool scenes here; the full forum scenes were shot in New Orleans. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Selena Gomez explains the synthetic CDO (2007)

Vennett breaks off to explain a synthetic CDO through a blackjack hand, with behavioral economist Richard Thaler and Selena Gomez as guests.

Set in Casino at the forum — Economist Richard Thaler and Selena Gomez explain a synthetic CDO as a blackjack hand.

Filmed at Harrah's New Orleans (now Caesars New Orleans) — The casino scene with the card-table explanation was shot at the Harrah's casino in New Orleans. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The news from Lehman Brothers (2008)

As Lehman Brothers' fall is reported on the news, Baum's team is on the move.

Set in Lehman Brothers offices, New York — News reports that Lehman Brothers employees have lost their jobs as the stock goes to zero, while Baum is at a panel.

Filmed at Mercer Street, between Prince Street and Spring Street, Manhattan — New York street scene Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Malibu, California — Margot Robbie in the bathtub (explainer scene) Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at General de Gaulle Boulevard, Algiers, New Orleans — Filming day, not tied to a story place Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Michael Burry — An eccentric hedge fund manager who sees the housing market is unstable.
• Jared Vennett — A Deutsche Bank trader who pitches the short to investors.
• Mark Baum — Head of FrontPoint Partners, moved by Vennett's pitch.
• Charlie Geller — A young investor who finds Vennett's presentation with Jamie Shipley.
• Jamie Shipley — Geller's partner at a small fund.