One-hour pilot filmed in Chicago in April

CHICAGO – The Illinois Film Office today announced that the TV drama “Ridealong,” which filmed a one-hour pilot in Chicago in April, has been picked up by Fox Television as a series. Addition of the series will provide a great boost to the Illinois film industry which has also been impacted by the national economic recession.

“The filming of ‘Ridealong’ will provide a tremendous boost to the Illinois economy by employing hundreds of cast and crew and creating demand for products and services for Illinois businesses,” said Betsy Steinberg, Managing Director of the Illinois Film Office. “Landing a series is great for the local labor force and industry vendors because the work is steady and a series can potentially run for years.”

“Ridealong” is a cop-drama based entirely in Chicago. The show was created by Shawn Ryan, who is a Rockford native. The series will be produced by 20th Century Fox TV. The Executive Producer of the show is Marney Hochman Nash, and Charles McDougall directed the pilot. Cast members include: Jennifer Beals, Jason Clark, Matt Lauria and Delroy Lindo, among others.

Details of the exact economic impact of “Ridealong” are not currently available, though the Illinois Film Office estimates that this series will pour tens of millions of dollars into the Illinois economy in 2010. On average, over 200 Illinoisans work on each episode of a TV show including electricians, construction workers, painters, welders, truck drivers, hair and make-up stylists, security guards, and janitors.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is dedicated to advancing Illinois’ reputation as a world-class film destination. The Illinois Film Office, a division of DCEO, promotes and markets the state as an ideal shooting location for films, television shows and commercials. The IFO also promotes and encourages the training and hiring of Illinois residents who represent the diversity of the state’s population.