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by Dixon Galvez-Searle

Brian Billow, an associate creative director at DDB Chicago, spends a lot of time coming up with creative concepts for advertising, but increasingly, Billow has been stepping behind the camera to direct. Earlier this year, he directed five McDonald's spots for the agency via production company Hungry Man. In late June he teamed with associate producer Nathan Brown, also of DDB Chicago, to direct the short comedy “Bodega.”

The 10-minute film tells the story of an inexperienced robber who attempts to rob an all-night convenience store. After discovering that there isn't much money in the register, the robber takes the clerk hostage and poses as a cashier in order to make more money. “Bodega” was shot June 23 and 24 at J-Dee's Convenient Shopping in Westchester, IL.

One of the first tasks for the production was finding talent for the actor-driven film. “Bodega” features some 15 speaking roles, including a series of customers that the robber is forced to serve during his brief stint as clerk. Because of the talent demands, Brown enlisted the help of David O'Connnor and Christina Rumore of O'Connor Casting.

Billow said he was looking for actors who could think on their feet. During the shoot, he asked actors to invent new lines and improvise in an effort to make the performances seem more spontaneous. “I'm a big believer in improvisation,” he said. “I really prefer movies and commercials where it feels real.”

In addition to O'Connor Casting, “Bodega” was able to enlist the services of a number of Chicago production vendors that Brown and Billow knew through their work with DDB. Schumacher Camera and Essanay Studio and Lighting supplied production equipment and Cutters' John Dingfield signed on as editor. Optimus, Another Country and Filmworkers/Astro are also providing services for “Bodega.”

Because of the film's limited budget, many vendors and crew donated their time and services to make “Bodega” a reality. Brown said the fact that these companies had an ongoing relationship with DDB Chicago worked in the film's favor. He also cited the story itself as a major draw. “The script was a huge selling point for everyone, including me,” said Brown. “It was just a matter of making a lot of phone calls and saying, ‘Just read the script and see what you think.'”

Another key person who donated his time was DP Joost Van Starrenburg, whom Billow had worked with on the McDonald's spots earlier in the year. Brown said Van Starrenburg lobbied to shoot “Bodega” on film. Originally, Brown had budgeted for an HD shoot, but said he and Billow decided to switch to film for aesthetic reasons. “We thought having a grainy 16mm [look] would be better with fluorescent lights,” he said.

Once the film is completed, Billow has plans to submit to festivals and pursue screenings. He hopes it will help further his career as a director by giving him more variety on his reel in addition to his spot work.

Brown also has high hopes for “Bodega.” He thinks the film can serve as an example of the type of low-budget work that agency creatives can do and hopes it will encourage more of the same at DDB, especially when clients are looking for low-budget webisodes, viral videos and branded entertainment.