Most of our brand films start weeks out. Creative treatments, shot lists, scouting, scheduling. This one started with a phone call and about 48 hours on the clock.

The Story

Alejandra Dominguez is a real estate agent and a board member at MainStreet Libertyville. She called with a simple idea and a fast deadline. Lunch in the Park was happening that week at Cook Park in downtown Libertyville, and she wanted a short film that captured why this town feels the way it does. Not a recap of the event. Something closer to a love letter.

She'd seen our work before and mentioned the slower, more cinematic style, the natural light, and the real moments rather than staged ones. That's what she wanted for Libertyville.

Why 48 Hours Was Enough

I'll be straight about this: speed like that only works because the process already exists. We compressed pre-production into an afternoon. A creative treatment, a shot list built around the event's actual schedule, and a plan to shoot light with one camera and a small set of prime lenses so we could move with the day rather than direct it.

The most important decision came first, though. Before chasing a single shot, we sat down with Alejandra and let her talk about Libertyville in her own words. Her voice became the spine of the film, a 90-second piece structured entirely around what she actually said. Nobody handed her a script. That's why the film sounds like a neighbor instead of a commercial.

The Part I Didn't Expect

My own family ended up in the middle of it. Maira and our daughters spent the afternoon at the park while I worked, and somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like a shoot. That's just what downtown Libertyville does to you. If the film feels warm, that's part of why.

When it was done, Alejandra shared the film with her community herself and left us a five-star review that meant as much as the film did.

Have a Community Story on a Tight Clock?

Short community films like this one are some of my favorite work. Ninety seconds, made for the platforms where your community actually spends time, and turned around fast when the moment calls for it. We work with downtown associations, chambers, realtors, and local organizations across Lake County.

It starts with a discovery call, and you'll leave with a clear direction and a real number, whether or not we work together.