The Oldest View, the feature-length Backrooms film from YouTube filmmaker Kane Parsons, is set in San Jose and Santa Clara County — and Parsons shot establishing footage around Marin and China Camp State Park. No wide release date has been confirmed as of this writing, so check Parsons' YouTube channel (Kane Pixels) for announcements. Free to watch when it drops, no theater required.
Parsons built the Backrooms into a genuine found-footage mythology starting around 2022, racking up tens of millions of views on a shoestring. The local angle isn't just a cameo — the plot names Santa Clara County specifically, and the Marin shots are recognizable if you know the terrain. China Camp, off Point San Pedro Road in San Rafael, is about 40 minutes from SF; it's also just a good afternoon if you want to see what liminal California marshland looks like before the movie tells you it's unsettling.
Practical note: China Camp has a $5 day-use fee and limited parking on weekends — arrive before 10am or after 3pm. No BART access; you'll need a car or rideshare to San Rafael.
If you've got two hours before the release drops, pull up the original Kane Pixels shorts in order — they're 10 minutes each and hold up — then take the 101 north and walk the China Camp shoreline yourself.
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