SILOAM SPRINGS (KFSM) - TV audiences across the country could soon see some of Siloam Springs on the national airwaves. A film crew is visiting Northwest Arkansas this week to get footage for a National TV Campaign commercial.
A film crew associated with the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Department is highlighting the natural beauty and entertainment of the state.
"We sent a scouting team up here to shoot and we were really impressed by this cool little town," said Bill Fitzgerald, creative director at Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, an advertising agency. "It has great vibes and great buzz. There's a lot of new stuff going on."
Film crews are shooting at four locations in the city. The Siloam Springs Whitewater Recreation Park, Pour Jon's Coffee and Vinyl, 28 Springs and the Inn At The Springs.
"Siloam Springs is undiscovered," said city spokeswoman Holland Hayden. "It really is a gem, and we really want to uncover that."
"It's very metropolitan, very chic and very cool," Fitzgerald said. "You know, Arkansas has it going on."
The crew included several trucks, actors and state of the art equipment.
"I counted seven vehicles in our caravan," Fitzgerald said. "We've got about thirteen people. We have everything from little GoPro cameras to an ARRI Alexa camera, which is a really high end digital camera."
The final commercial will be used as a national television campaign for tourism. It will also run in national movie theatres, websites and on Arkansas.com.
"There's already a campaign on right now that's airing right now that we shot last year," Fitzgerald said. "We shoot additional footage every year, so that we always cover the state and show all the great attractions for the people who come here."
"You get to say 'hey that's my city in a commercial that you can see all across the country'," Hayden said. "Also, on the backend you get tourism and increased dollars to our economy."
The commercial will also feature Hot Springs, Little Rock and even Johnny Cash's home. It's expected to air next Spring.