<Li> Julio Cesar Cedillo as Lt. Welles, a member of a group of military personnel, who are involved in a helicopter crash, and saved, but eventually slaughtered by The Governor while Welles himself is decapitated and has his head placed in a fish tank . </Li> <P> AMC renewed The Walking Dead for a third season on October 25, 2011 after the season two premiere broke cable ratings records in the 18 - 49 demographic . On January 14, 2012, AMC announced that the third season will contain 16 episodes . </P> <P> Filming for the season began in May 2012 in Coweta County, Georgia, with the city of Senoia being used as the filming location for the town of Woodbury . Ernest Dickerson directed the season premiere episode . Greg Nicotero, co-executive producer and special make - up FX artist on the series, directed the fifth episode of season 3 after already having directed the season 2 episode "Judge, Jury, Executioner". He also returned as a zombie in the episode "The Suicide King", after portraying two different zombies in the first season . In November 2012, Glen Mazzara announced that Ernest Dickerson would direct the season finale . </P> <P> After the conclusion of the third season, Mazzara stepped down from his position as showrunner and executive producer for the series, in a mutual agreement by both Mazzara and AMC . The press release read, "Both parties acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward, and conclude that it is best to part ways ." </P>

Where was season 3 of the walking dead filmed