Maintaining a location library of 20,000 photographs is one of the favorite parts of the job for Luis Ferrara, Assistant Deputy Director of the Illinois Film Office.
“Producers always laugh when I say that, but it’s true,” he says.
The vast amount of location photography is sorted into a variety of curated files so that when a production need arises, the studio has what they need at their fingertips.
“We regularly look for locations to update our library,” Ferrara said, noting that he also writes to homeowners and businesses to help them continue to expand their resources. No time is wasted when a production chooses to shoot in Illinois. Also, you don’t have to re-read the same place.
Of course, nothing speaks for Chicago better than Chicago. The city’s iconic location has appeared in multiple shows over the years as ‘itself’. Iconic elevated trains and platforms are frequently used when the city stars in productions as such, whether in period or contemporary shoots. ” [Chicago Transit Authority] It’s historically very movie-friendly,” says Ferrara.
One of the state’s attractions in filming is that there’s something for everyone when it comes to architectural location styles, or both modern and historical eras. With Victorian and Georgian architecture, plus prairies, lakes, rivers, and wooded terrain, the state can represent just about any part of the Midwest.
Film Office is a full-service agency that facilitates the delivery of curated imagery for any production, based on generalized location descriptions or more specific and developed ideas. In fact, the Illinois team meets every combination of filmmakers and escorts them on location with his scouts to ensure the process is effortless for those out of town.
The state is most popular for production work from May to October, but there is plenty of room during the winter as well. With a well-trained local film crew accustomed to changing weather, productions can be confident they will find what they need to meet their creative needs and budgetary considerations.
James R. Thompson Center
A post-modern architectural style with the famous standing beast monument in front. The building is located within the Loop District, known for surrounding the iconic downtown skyline.
Selected production applications:
“Station 11” • “Chicago PD”
“The Batman” • “Ferris Bueller Days Off”
Metro South Medical Center
This former hospital is a recent addition to the approximately 509,000 square feet of state-available production.
Selected production applications:
“Justified: City Primeval” • “Chi”
“PowerBook IV: The Force” • “Work in Progress”
Chicago Transit Authority — L Train/Platform
Chicago’s elevated rail system is not only an important regional transportation option, it is also an iconic part of the Chicago skyline.
Selected production applications:
“Station 11” • “The Exorcist”
“Dark Matter” • “Dangerous Business”
Chicago Trade Commission
The 45-story skyscraper in the Loup district is a prime example of Art Deco architecture.
Selected production applications:
“Batman” • “The Dark Knight”
“Road to Perdition” • “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
union station
Located in the West Loop, this building is a mix of Beaux Arts and Greek Revival architecture.
Selected production applications:
“Fargo” • “Chicago PD” • “Shining Girls”
“Best Friend’s Wedding” • “Man of Steel”
green mill cocktail lounge
A bar and jazz lounge where patrons can sit in the booths where Al Capone and his gang used to trade.
Selected production applications:
“Chicago PD” • “Sense 8”
“Dark Matter” • “High Fidelity”
— variety
The iconic Illinois locations used to film ‘The Batman’, ‘Station 11’ and ‘Fargo’ have been featured for the first time in The Media Pub News.