Beverly Ridge Pictures recently wrapped filming the Illinois Department of Transportation’s latest Click It or Ticket commercials. The yearly campaign aims to curb injuries and deaths that result from young drivers not wearing their seat belts. This year’s theme, “Cops Everywhere,” was developed by Chicago-based ad agency Lou Beres & Associates, which produced the Telly award-winning “Loser” commercials from IDOT’s 2008 You Drink & Drive, You Lose campaign.
Lou Beres & Associates heard about the young filmmakers at Beverly Ridge Pictures after all the buzz on their soon-to-be released feature film, “Chicago Overcoat,” which stars Frank Vincent (“The Sopranos”), Armand Assante (“American Gangster”) Mike Starr (“Goodfellas”), and local actor Danny Goldring (“The Dark Knight”). The agency wanted a fresh, young perspective for the Click It or Ticket campaign, and figured Beverly Ridge Pictures was the perfect fit.
“This was an ambitious shoot, and Beverly Ridge Pictures helped us deliver a very polished cinematic look with just the right tone and feel. I needed filmmakers and storytellers with a sense of humor that I could collaborate with, and I found them,” said Lou Beres & Associates Chief Creative Officer, Andy Madorsky.
The commercials all feature young actors from Chicago, and deal with the concept of finding police officers in the most unexpected places – especially at night, when drivers think they’ll never get caught. The “Cops Everywhere” theme comically reveals cops in various nighttime attendant roles, where they identify and ticket unbuckled drivers.
“It is a slightly playful reminder that is strong, yet does not preach to the young audience,” said Madorsky. All the officers who appear in the commercials are actual police officers from various parts of Illinois, including Illinois State Troopers, Chicago Police Officers, and a Richton Park Police Officer.
The production shot all over Chicago, in such diverse locations as The Italian Village, Superdawg, and Charcoal Delights. Paying homage to its roots, Beverly Ridge Pictures also chose some locations in Beverly, including the Beverly Bank & Trust, Evergreen Car Wash, and Kean Brothers Gas Station.
The commercials were directed by company member and filmmaker Chris Charles, who made his commercial directing debut. “Making commercials is just like making movies. You’re telling a story, but you only have seconds to tell it,” Charles said. “It’s especially nice to be involved with a campaign like Click It or Ticket, where you’re actually helping people. We’re proud to be a part of it.”
Beverly Ridge Pictures made its presence known last year when shooting the highly anticipated gangster film Chicago Overcoat, which should be hitting theaters later this year. And while Beverly Ridge Pictures is now on the market for commercial production in Chicago, they have remained true to their mission statement, “committed to bringing film and television production back to Illinois.” The 2009 Click It or Ticket commercials began airing on May 11, and will be broadcast the rest of the summer throughout Illinois.
05/19/09 - Reel Chicago (internet article)
06/10/09 - Beverly Review (newspaper story)
06/17/09 - Screen Magazine (magazine article)
