November 2002
Contact: Marianne Virgili or Lori Hogan
Glenwood Springs Film Commission
Marianne@glenwoodchamber.com or
lori@glenwoodchamber.com
970-945-6589Roaring Fork Valley a filming haven for national commercials
Glenwood Springs, Colo. - The beautiful Roaring Fork Valley in western Colorado has been a popular destination for commercial filming production for decades, and the summer of 2002 was no exception with national car commercials for Jeep and Dodge shot up and down the valley.
Commercial productions gravitate to the greater Aspen to Glenwood Springs area for at least six important reasons: location, quality of accommodations, accessibility from both coasts, professional crews, quick permitting and attractive talent.
Location: The Roaring Fork Valley offers a breathtaking backdrop for location filming in summer and winter. The area has a broad variety of roads, high-end residences, public buildings and remote settings that make great locations.
"Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley have been a haven for the filming of national television commercials since the late 1960s," said Karen Sellars, a busy production manager and owner of Aspen Production Services. "With the natural beauty that our valley possesses, directors and producers alike flock here for a variety of film and television shoots. We have been featured in many of the main car manufacturers' national spots for the last few decades. Those car spots show our beautiful mountain roads and passes, breathtaking scenery from Aspen trees to evergreens, lakes and snowfall, mountain tops and valleys."
"Everybody wants an excuse to come here. It is a director's dream," Sellars said. "We give people beautiful images that last many years, to portray to people what a magical place this is."
Quality accommodations: Commercial productions are often seen as a way to show the agency and clients a good time while on location. The Roaring Fork Valley offers production companies a way to entertain their top clients in a first class resort area while actually being on location. Clients can stay at the best hotels and eat at the best restaurants while visiting in the Colorado mountains.
Accessibility: The valley has easy access to both coasts. Filming crews can drive in from Denver or fly into Aspen, Eagle/Vail or Grand Junction airports. The courier services and Fed Ex have late drop off times relative to other remote areas.
"All the big commercial production companies and major studios have arranged to shoot in Aspen over the years," said award-winning Aspen cameraman Greg Poschman. "Virtually every TV network and major production company shows up here at some point. Lately, Flying Tiger Films of Los Angeles has been shooting in the valley at least twice a year."
"Almost every four-wheel drive car, luxury car, credit card, soft drink and beer brand have made commercials in this area during the past four decades. Aspen area locations and the Aspen lifestyle have been ubiquitous in advertising campaigns because advertising projects 'the good life,' and that is what Aspen and the surrounding area have been for a long time," said Poschman, the recipient of two national Emmy awards for directing and cinematography.
Companies and products that have had commercials shot in the Roaring Fork Valley area include Mountain Dew, Coors, Visa, Jeep, Nabisco, Prudential, Chevrolet, Pontiac, BMW, Volkswagen, American Express, Stove Top Stuffing, Campbell's Soup, Lincoln Mercury, State Farm Insurance, GNC, Subaru Legacy and others.
Professional Crews: The valley has production support personnel for a broad range of positions, which easily integrates with traveling crews from Denver or elsewhere. Crew personnel coming from Denver are usually eager to come to Roaring Fork Valley, which gives producers more flexibility in hiring.
Permitting: Production happens on a very quick time line, and the valley strives to be responsive to the needs of producers.
"The local chambers and resort associations of the Roaring Fork and Crystal river valleys have been extraordinary in their ability to help film companies get the job done this summer," noted Roaring Fork Valley art director Ziska Childs. "Without a concerted effort between Glenwood Springs and Aspen specifically we would never have gotten the first Flying Tiger shoot - the Glenwood Canyon and Ruby mine shoot. Getting permits in under a week - and during a very stressful time with the Coal Seam fire still burning - is quite an accomplishment. I am certain that the goodwill fostered by that experience brought Flying Tiger back for the second shoot at El Jebel."
"The cooperation was marvelous. They helped put it together with very little notice," said production manager Brooke Johnson of Production Services West in Denver of a shoot for Daimler-Chrysler automobiles in the Glenwood Canyon in June.
"Everything went smooth. The area was beautiful. Everyone was extremely helpful, very friendly; it was a great experience," said Kristen Novak, account manager for BBDO Detroit advertising agency.
Talent: The healthy lifestyle of residents of this Colorado mountain area has created a large pool of attractive talent. Often producers cast locals in their productions after doing a national search for talent.
"The area offers producers all the convenience of a big city production in a spectacular natural setting. Often costing less than Los Angeles or New York locations, the area can offer a high level of client luxury, reliable transportation and experienced crews," Poshman said.
In the past, the Roaring Fork Valley area has been home to various feature films ranging from Kevin Costner's "For the Love of the Game" and "Aspen Extreme" to "Tall Tale" with Patrick Swayze and "Flashback" with Keifer Sutherland and Dennis Hopper.
The history of filming in the "down-valley" Glenwood Springs area dates back to 1902 when the silent film "The Runaway Stage Coach" was filmed in Glenwood Canyon, and silent film star cowboy Tom Mix filmed "The Great K&A Train Robbery" in the canyon in July 1926. The "up-valley" Aspen area has attracted productions for more than 50 years ago, including back to when Gary Cooper starred in theatrical shorts.
Assistance regarding filming in the Roaring Fork Valley is available via the Glenwood Springs Film Commission with support provided through the volunteer board the Roaring Fork Valley Film Group. For more information, visit www.glenwoodfilmcommission.com, e-mail Marianne@glenwoodchamber.com or call Marianne Virgili at 970-945-6589.
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