Film

The old and the new

'The City' Documents Formative Planning Advocacy on Film

Streaming on YouTube, the 1939 film "The City" is a powerful cinematic account of advocating for planned communities.

August 31, 2020 - The New Yorker

Los Angeles Skyline

Blade Runner's Dystopian World and the L.A. of Today

The original "Blade Runner" takes place in the Los Angeles of November 2019. How does the film’s vision of the city compare with the present-day reality?

November 23, 2019 - LAist

Alamo Square

'The Last Black Man in San Francisco' Pays Homage to the City’s People and Places

The film captures a gentrifying San Francisco by incorporating many subtle details about the city's past and present.

August 9, 2019 - San Francisco Examiner

In "Her," the L.A. of the Future Speaks to Some of Today's Anxieties

In his latest film, “Her,” Spike Jonze presents a one-of-a-kind vision of L.A.'s future.

January 20, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Children of the Past Envision the City of Tomorrow

How did childhood visions of future cities differ for kids growing up in the 1980s when compared to the 1960s or today? Matt Novak shares a short film from 1983 that captures the prescient urban visions of students.

April 24, 2013 - Smithsonian

New Documentary Promotes Passenger Trains in U.S.

A new film, Trainsforming America, takes a look at passenger rail in the US from the passengers' perspective.

February 7, 2013 - Transportation Radio

Feature Doc on Urban Design Out Soon (Trailer)

Urbanized is a feature-length documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.

September 23, 2011 - urbanizedfilm.com

States Fighting For Films

As states elbow each other to lure movie makers to their markets with increasingly attractive tax incentives, some say the competition has gone too far.

June 11, 2010 - Governing

Charlotte's Development Animated

This paper animation clip by Rob Carter shows the urban growth and development of Charlotte, North Carolina over time.

February 14, 2010 - Good

The Geography of Netflix

By utilizing rental data Netflix makes freely available, the New York Times has published a Google Maps mashup illustrating the most popular rental titles in each zip code.

January 15, 2010 - New York Times

Films a Blessing and a Curse for Small New Mexico Towns

Small towns in New Mexico are increasingly being used as film locations. But for some locals, the invasion of Hollywood is not worth the economic benefits.

July 21, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Assessing Future Planning Through Film

Film is much more effective than planners or architects at assessing the possible future forms of cities, according to this article from film critic A.O. Scott.

June 10, 2008 - The New York Times Magazine

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.