Filming Commercials in Chicago

While we might not recommend Chicago for a beach commercial, and would avoid the winter if you can help it, the city is otherwise an excellent centralized location for filming your commercial among a diversity of quality backdrops.

And due to the popularity of TV shows like Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med – not to mention a legacy of over a thousand feature films shot in the Chicago area over the past few decades – many of these locations can be made camera-ready quickly.

This makes finding the perfect setting(s) for filming a commercial in Chicago easier than not, at a cost that’s likely to set you back less than it would in a city like New York.

Backdrops Available in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

1. Urban settings with iconic skyscrapers
2. Historic neighbourhoods with classic brownstones
3. Picturesque parks and waterfronts
4. Iconic landmarks like the Chicago Water Tower and Wrigley Field
5. Industrial areas perfect for gritty, authentic shots
6. Modern office buildings
7. Bustling public markets and streets

Across this variety, Chicago has an established business and transportation infrastructure with deep roots in trade. By volume, there are a lot of locations to choose from, and you’ll likely find getting to and from them easier than not.

For a few unique examples to consider, try scouting settings such as:

The Chicago Pedway: An underground pedestrian walkway that spans the downtown area, the pedway offers a standout, classic urban vibe.

The Rookery Building: For a touch of elegance and a taste of history, The Rookery Building delivers some of that stunning architecture The Windy City became famous for after the the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Ping Tom Memorial Park: Located along the Chicago River and developed in the late 90s into a much-needed open green space for Chicago’s Chinatown community, this location can lend a serene yet still urban setting to your commercial.

Chicago’s ‘L’ Train Stations and Tracks: The elevated ‘L’ train tracks that snake through Chicago’s downtown area provide a visually striking location with a Gotham City vibe. The steel girders, dark shadows, and urban energy captured beneath and around these train lines can lend an edgy, cinematic quality to your commercial.

Chicago is home to a couple of prestigious acting and comedic institutions, in the form of The Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. This makes casting top-tier local acting talent much easier than in many other large cities in North America. With strong backgrounds in theater and improvisational comedy, Chicago actors can bring high levels of talent, professionalism and adaptability to your commercial.

And when it comes to capturing the best performances from those local actors?

Due to both the previously mentioned trio of prime time TV shows, as well as the strong general arts scene in the metropolitan area, there are a good number of experienced and reliable production and post-production crew members in Chicago that can be called in to minimize travel and accommodation costs in your commercial budget.

On top of this, the city also boasts several good options for gear rentals and sound stages, such as:

1. Magnanimous Rentals
2. Keslow Camera
3. Cinespace Chicago Film Studios
   

While Chicago may offer some cost advantages over other North American cities you might be considering for shooting your commercial or brand video, it does present its own unique challenges as well.

Prime locations in the city can come with high fees. The permitting process, while generally efficient, might require a level of work and planning that’s more similar to bigger production hubs like LA or NYC or Atlanta, than smaller ones such as New Orleans.

Finally, Chicago's weather can be unpredictable, which could necessitate some schedule flexibility and backup plans, depending on whether your commercial includes exterior shoots or a lot of location moves.

All this being said, Chicago does offer various ways to optimize your production budget. In addition to leveraging local crew for those travel and accommodations savings, there’s enough of an entertainment industry and production presence in the city to make relationship-building with local vendors a smart time investment.

And Chicago has its own Film Office, which is well-equipped to facilitate smooth permitting processes and to coordinate logistics, ensuring your shoot runs efficiently.

If you're looking for an exceptional partner to assist with location scouting and management in Chicago, I highly recommend Levinson Locations. They are tremendous to work with and specialize in finding and managing the best locations in and around the Chicago area.

We worked with them on an automotive shoot on the outskirts of Chicago and their support was invaluable. They helped scout a range of fantastic location options and handled the entire location management process. This included coordinating with local authorities for permits, securing police and squad cars for driving shots, and providing signage rentals and protective materials to ensure the location remained pristine.

Their expertise and attention to detail made the entire process seamless, saving us time and ensuring our shoot went off without any issues.

The foundation for filming your company’s commercial in Chicago is now being set, you might now be thinking about whether it makes sense to further vet the city as the home of your shoot.

We’ve got you covered there, whenever you want to discuss the pros and cons of producing your commercial in The Windy City in more detail.

Story will always matter the most, so reach out anytime you want to dialogue on how to craft an impactful message for driving more awareness and excitement around your brand – in Chicago or anywhere else.

P.S. – For real, though. If you can manage it, get to a show at The Second City and prepare to laugh. Deep dish or Portillos before or after.