Traffic stops for film crew

BAYVIEW — It may not take a whole village, but it does take a lot of folks to film a 30-second television commercial.

BAYVIEW — It may not take a whole village, but it does take a lot of folks to film a 30-second television commercial.

Lenz Films of Seattle was on Bayview Road Wednesday to film a spot extolling the virtues of a healthy lifestyle for the Everett Clinic.

A quarter-mile stretch of road was held up for traffic in both directions as Karlee Brandner rode her $10,000 racing bicycle down the road, over and over again.

Steps away inside the forest, cameraman Mike Prevette, standing on a dolly, was pushed along a 30-foot track by several helpers. Each time Brandner pedaled by, Prevette filmed the action as the director watched carefully on a nearby monitor.

“The county has strict regulations about filming and I’m only supposed to hold people up a maximum of five minutes,” producer Brad Lenz explained. “But I’ve managed to keep it down to two.”

The commercial will show the fit young bicyclist whizzing down the road and end with a shot of the city of Everett taken from Brighten Beach on the island’s south end.

“It only takes a day or two to make a commercial like this,” Lenz said. “This area was close to the ferry and has a singular rural feel that should be effective.”

On-the-scene workers included an assistant director, grip [lighting], film editor, camera loader and stylist Colette Jones, a multi-tasker who combined the talents of make-up, hair styling and the perfect costumes.

Another young woman was on hand to serve iced fruit, dips and crackers to the crew.

Despite the air of tension as everyone worked hard to get just the right shot, Lenz was not above cracking a few jokes, instructing Brandner that should she fall off the bike, to make sure she fell on the side away from the camera.

“Make-up only goes so far,” he told her.

Lenz, wearing shorts and sandals in the hot sun, has been doing this work for 20 years and agreed it was not the worst job on the planet.

“It’s a good gig,” he said.

The commercial will begin appearing on local television channels sometime in January.