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LOCAL OFFICIALS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN
THE ILLINOIS FILM INDUSTRY

By LYNN MORFORD, Communications Manager, Dept. of Commerce & Community Affairs

Illinois may not be Hollywood, but the Illinois film industry is strong and growing stronger. In recent years, production levels in the state have topped $115 million, with nearly 23,000 jobs created.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange

Actresses Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange walk through a
scene prior to shooting in Rochelle.-Photo courtesy of Jeff
Robertson/Rochelle News-Leader
Local officials play a key role in "bringing in" a film, according to Ron Ver Kuilen, Manager of the Illinois Film Office at the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. The Illinois Film Office, with the strong support of the Edgar administration, works to attract feature film, television, and commercial production to Illinois. Ver Kuilen and his staff are generally the initial point of contact with filmmakers, but it is the hospitality exhibited by local officials and their desire to accommodate the special needs of the film industry that generally seals the deal.

Typically, a production company calls the Illinois Film Office, details the important locations that will determine where they will shoot a film, and mails the staff a copy of the screenplay. Ver Kuilen and his staff read the script and review their extensive library of location shots to match them with the filmmaker's needs. In some cases, Film Office staff will custom-shoot locations, sending the filmmaker four to five locations they feel will meet the needs.

If a filmmaker is intrigued, he or she flys in, and the Film Office conducts guided tours of the locations. After this "location scout," the filmmaker considers the Illinois locations against those in other states or nations, and chooses the location for filming.

As soon as possible, the Illinois Film Office or the

Since 1976 more than 700 feature films or TV
shows have been shot in Illinois and more than
$650 million has poured into the state's economy
directly from these projects.

The following are some films shot entirely or
in part in Illinois during the past 20 years:
Silverstreak
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Somewhere in Time
The Blues Brothers
Ordinary People
Endless Love
Risky Business
16 Candles
Weird Science'
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
The Color of Money
The Untouchables
Adventures in Babysitting
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
When Harry Met Sally
Field of Dreams
Uncle Buck
Flatliners
Backdraft
A League of Their Own
The Babe
Wayne's World
Home Alone
Home Alone 2
Groundhog Day
Dennis the Menace
The Fugitive
Baby's Day Out
While You Were Sleeping
Richie Rich
Major League

November 1996 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 25


film's location manager will discuss filming with the local officials from the community, including the mayor, council members, the police and fire departments, and parks and recreation officials. Requests and concerns are discussed both informally and at council meetings. The Film Office generally stays involved to ensure that lines of communication are always open, and that everyone's needs are met.

Mayor Bob Gingerich of Rochelle had nothing but praise for his community's experience. The feature film, "A Thousand Acres," based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Lange and Jason Robards, recently completed shooting in Rochelle.

"The film company had been looking at locations in Iowa, but really wanted a rural location as close to Chicago as possible," Mayor Gingerich said. "Our economic development director had already told the Illinois Film Office we were willing to host a film, and when they came out, they liked what they saw.

The film crew preparing for a scene in Home Alone

Film crew prepares to shoot a scene of "Home Alone" at O'Hare
Airport.-Photo courtesy of IL Film Office
"Our people reacted well. The company held a casting call for extras expecting about 500, and 3,000 people showed up to serve as extras and stand-ins. We had quite a few spectators when they did visible filming on streets. It got kind of hectic and disrupted traffic, but everyone adjusted."

"There were so many benefits," continues the Mayor. "Several local residents were extras. Many actors lived in the community - the director rented the home of a family that was in the process of moving and a local teacher wound up being a tutor for her seven-year-old son. It also was an economic boon to the community. One of our auto dealers sold five cars, two alike because one was wrecked as part of a scene and they needed the twin for other shots. Two flower shops receive regular orders for cast and crew birthdays and centerpieces. The savings and loan went along with the spirit and changed the name on its outside sign to fit with the film. They even built a house. They were using a farmstead out of Rochelle and needed a house across the road. They went in and built a house shell, buying all the lumber here, planted new crops because some scenes needed spring crops, put up a windmill and drilled a well to water the sod around the house.

"We found it all a very positive experience. The biggest inconvenience was to shut down traffic occasionally for filming on the street, but most everyone found the film people were great to get along with. We also had to free up space in a city parking lot for the trailers and other equipment. You do have to be flexible because a change in weather can cause the shooting director to use a different scene.

"Another plus was that we were able to offer them a big building that had been recently vacated by a business. They used it for set construction and indoor shoots and used the offices for the production company and location people.

"If your community is chosen for a film, I don't think you're going to have any regrets. It's good for the community both financially and publicity-wise. The

Page 26 / Illinois Municipal Review / November 1996


Jamie Lee Curtis viewing the scene from above

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis watches a scene from "Grandview
U.S.A." filmed in Pontiac.-Photo courtesy of IL Film Office
film people ate in our restaurants and shopped in our stores, particularly the grocery stores (even the extras eat really well.) We're willing to do it again."

Ver Kuilen says Mayor Gingerich's observations are consistent with those of other communities. He reminds local officials that, when a film crew comes to town, it is somewhat like a small, friendly invasion. But fortunately, the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences. Not only does the community learn from and participate in the filming experience, but nearly every business, from the restaurant to the dry cleaner, is impacted. Most people, in fact, are proud when their town is chosen to "star" in a film.

Chicago often is chosen as a location site for obvious reasons: easy accessibility to crews, housing and equipment. But the Illinois Film Office works diligently to showcase the rest of Illinois to the film industry, as well. Woodstock and Crystal Lake, for example, doubled as Punxsatawny, Pennsylvania in the hit film, "Groundhog Day." The Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois served as Harvard University in the film, "With Honors." This summer, in addition to the filming in Rochelle, West Chicago and Westmont hosted the new John Hughes film, "Reach the Rock." The new television series, "Early Edition," is filming in both Oak Park and Chicago. And the independent film, "35 Miles from Normal," has been filming in Pontiac, the home town of its director, who was inspired to seek a career in the film industry after observing filming on the movie, "Grandview U.S.A.," which was filmed in Pontiac in the mid-1980s.

Ver Kuilen says the Illinois Film Office is dedicated to the principle of economic development through film, television, commercial and video work. Its staff are called upon daily to cut red tape, dispense production information, and answer public inquiries, as well as to provide assistance with location scouting, crewing, hotel accommodations and community liaison services.

"So if Hollywood comes knocking at your community's door, by all means let them in," Ver Kuilen says. "And call the Illinois Film Office for assistance to help ensure that the filmmaking process is a fun and profitable experience for all." •

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN
WORKING WITH FILMMAKERS

1. Ask how many days and what hours the company will be in your town.
2. Find out what is being filmed. Have them describe the scenes completely.
3. Will there be an advance group coming in to prepare the site for the film crew?
4. How many people can you expect to be involved with the production?
5. Is an assembly or staging area required for equipment or personnel?
6. Where will the production vehicles park?
7. Will an external power source be used for lighting, or will access be required to an internal source?
8. How much additional security, police or other personnel will be required?
9. Will there be alterations to property?
10. Will any areas be closed off to the public?
11. Where will the cast and crew be fed their meals?
12. What is the best point of access for the filmmakers and their equipment.
13. It is always easier if there is only one contact person at the location and with the company.
14. How soon will things be restored if need be?
15. Make sure they return the property to its original condition.
16. Regarding insurance . .. Ask to see proof of:
Third party property damage
Personal injury/liability
Hold harmless agreement (will insure against any and all liability claims)
Comprehensive general liability.
17. Location Agreement
You can put riders on the contract. Be prepared that it may take additional approval time.
The agreement allows for a company to come back if necessary at a mutually agreeable time.
Feel free to take photos of the area to be used for filming before the company comes to use as a reference later if needed.
18. Let the company know of any restrictions at the initial meeting.
19. Try to be flexible with the production companies and realize that schedule changes are not uncommon.

November 1996 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 27


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