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5 Oscar-Worthy Movie Tours for Film Fans

By U.S. News & World Report

Wondering where top Academy Award-nominated films were made? We’ve rounded up five Oscar-inspired tours where you can catch a behind-the-scenes look at top movie locations and retrace the steps of your favorite characters. From Burbank, California, to Mumbai, India, here’s where to plan a movie-inspired vacation.

Bollywood Film City Tour

Mumbai, India

Producing an average of 1,200 feature films per year, Mumbai is the mecca of the Indian film industry. And if you’re a fan of the British, eight-time-Oscar winner “Slumdog Millionaire,” Bollywood Filmcity Studios runs a Filmcity bus tour that whizzes through the teeming Goregaon East section of Mumbai, as a guide points out the film studios where it was shot, stars’ homes and other landmarks. Star-struck dreamers partake in the two-hour Bollywood Dreams Tour, your close-up on post-production. Then, visitors are taken into a sound recording booth to pick a song, and lip sync it Karaoke-style while the guide records it on their cellphone. There’s also an opportunity to read lines or dub the voices for the dialogue from major films. Enthusiasts should book the pricey, half-day Bollywood Studio Tour to SJ Studios sound stages, where a dozen permanent sets are in use 24 hours a day. And don’t miss checking out the medieval jail where Jean Valjean’s prison scene from the three-time Oscar-winning musical “Les Miserables” was shot.

Hobbiton and Weta Workshop Tours

New Zealand

New Zealand saw an estimated 40 percent lift in tourism after the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Whether it’s an authentic aerial tour of Middle-earth done by Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters or a Luxmore jetboat tour of the Upper Waiau River on the South Island, fans can follow in the footsteps of hairy feet almost everywhere. Aficionados begin on the North Island in Matamata, at the 1,250-acre Hobbiton, the built sets that include The Shire, hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn. A two-hour guided tour showcases shooting locations for the six Hobbit films that won 17 Academy Awards. If you’re more of a filmmaker than a Hobbit fan, join the fascinating Weta Workshop Tour in Wellywood… err, Wellington. On the 45-minute guided tour, you’ll meet some of the 230-person team responsible for designing and making all the physical armor, creatures and special make-up effects. Here, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at special effects by Weta Digital (three-time Oscar winner “Avatar” and Best Picture nominee “Mad Max: Fury Road” were shot there). Plus, the Weta Cave (the Hobbits’ major retail emporium) is found here.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal City, California

On your next California getaway, head to Universal Studios Hollywood, a theme park with a movie pedigree that dates back to 1912. Universal’s famous Backlot Tour has evolved into an entertaining, hour-long thrill ride. Between driving past the 60 backlot sets and soundstages still in use, the multimedia tram tour immerses you in movie magic with floods, train wrecks, a terrifying King Kong 360-degree 3-D attack, a new “Fast & Furious — Supercharged” car chase and a trip to Amityville to meet biting sharks from the three-time Oscar winner “Jaws.” The tour is too much of a raucous romp to learn anything, so to brush up on your filmmaking knowledge, watch the Waterworld stunt show, the new Special Effects Show demonstrating visual and practical effects, and the Animal Actors — all included in your theme park ticket. Plus, this tour for visual learners is a really fun place to snap photos.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Burbank, California

Burbank is where movies go to get made. This easy-going small town is home to the Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Yahoo! among many other content producers. In 1928, the four Warner brothers bought a 110-acre studio lot, making the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood the real deal for ages 8 and older. On the two-hour tram tour, see where “Argo” (a Best Picture Academy Award-recipient) and “Casablanca” (three-time Oscar winner) were filmed, ogle the fantasy vehicles from all the Batman films and ask all the how-to questions you want from knowledgeable guides. All the props, sets, and costumes on display are authentic. And you can’t miss the new Stage 48, which is packed with memorabilia and exhibits that illustrate movie magic: the motion capture used to make Sandra Bullock weightless in “Gravity” (winner of seven Oscars); the layering of dialogue and audio tracks that made the silence of space so terrifying; and much more. Get your own photo or video shot while riding the Batpod in front of a green screen, where Gotham streets are later composited. Or, splurge on the six-hour VIP tour instead. Even better, base yourselves in Burbank at the stylish Hotel Amarano, where you may have to maintain a low-key cool around the Oscar nominees in house for their press junket.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

United Kingdom

British production facilities are mostly off limits, but cinephiles can relish the artistry of all eight Harry Potter movies shot at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, an area just outside of London that hosted “GoldenEye” and the multi-Oscar-nominated “Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” during production. In 2012, Warner Bros. reassembled many of the 588 wizarding sets, which had been kept with original props and costumes while J.K. Rowling wrote the series. The Hogwarts Bridge, audioguides, butterbeer and a sprawling gift shop keep fans under Harry’s spell on a self-guided walking tour through the Great Hall and Dumbledore’s office. Afterward, a visual effects setup allows fans to picture (and record) themselves playing Quidditch on a broomstick. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in 2016, there will be special screenings, newly opened sets and more interaction with filmmakers to understand how their magic wand works. Fans might catch live filmmaking nearby since this is one of the largest production facilities in Europe. And serious Harry Potter buffs might be interested to learn that that while the film franchise sold 450 million books, raked in $10 billion and garnered 12 Academy Award nominations, Harry Potter never won a single Oscar, leading an outcry among devotees to revisit the Academy’s voting process.

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5 Oscar-Worthy Movie Tours for Film Fans originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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