Web Extra!
Click here to see a slideshow with more photos …
A little dose of Hollywood hit neighboring Forest Park Thursday at the Harlem and Randolph Car Wash for the filming of a new, big-budget Chevy commercial.
As part of an 8-day shoot at several places around Chicago, a Los Angeles production company filled the area surrounding the Forest Park car wash with all kinds of film equipment and wardrobe gear.
“They wanted a car washing scene,” said Chris Shimkus, owner of the shop at 161 Harlem Ave. “They had their buckets and hoses and a lot of foam.”
Shimkus said he was contacted just days ago about hosting the scene at his place – one of the reasons being that that the company wanted a building featuring the color pink.
Another local business based in Schiller Park, Northern Lighting and Power, handled all the lighting for the commercial.
Oak Park resident Marty Rhomberg runs the 30-year-old lighting company, and has worked on several commercials over the years from Kellogg’s cereal to Hanes underwear – with basketball legend Michael Jordan.
As for this particular shoot – which is for a car that is not yet on the market – they have been filming at a range of places from the Forest Park car wash to a farm in Huntley to a big “rain scene” in downtown Chicago in front of the Board of Trade building.
For that shot “they had 250-foot cranes and dumped 300,000 gallons of water,” Rhomberg said. “At least those sewers are clean now, that’s for sure.”
The production company did not want to release the type of car that will be in the advertisement, and viewers will only be able to see glimpses of the front and rear-end of the vehicle in the commercial.
Shimkus said he was told the spot will air soon.
“It was fun,” he said of the experience. “I think it’s kind of cool, and it’s something different. You don’t get to do this everyday.”
