Heave Ho Productions

06/23/2025

Spec number 5 of the year completed! For this Wendy’s concept, we combined humor with some fun food shots. It was great partnering with Nathanael Filbert on this one! Thank you to Brookfield Barber for letting us use their shop - thank you Sarah Silc!

Wendy’s Concept

Directors: Andrew Freer & Nathanael Filbert
Writers: Matthew Adams & Andrew Freer

DP: Matthew Freer
Producer: Jon Schwolsky
Gaffer: Mike Hammond
Food Stylist: Kim Reyes
AC: Jessica Tolliver
Key Grip: Daniel Gamez
Swing Grip: Eric Ochoa
Dolly Grip: Dharma Productions LLC
Barber/Stylist: Rodney Walker

Talent:
Barber Cutting Hair: Jimmy Chung
Barber with Wendy’s Bag: Daniel Joseph Ford
Customer: Stevie McDunn
Voiceover: Damon Webb
Booked by: Lori Lins LTD & Talent x Alexander

Camera: Daufenbach Camera
Dolly: Film Gear

Edit By: Matthew Freer
Additional Editorial By: Lightpost Studios
Sound Design: NKPost
Music Composer: Ethan Carlson
Colorist: Optimus, Colin Cubr
End Card Graphics: Dustin Bankord

Location: The Brookfield Barber

05/08/2025

Another spec project in the books! This is number 4 of the year. For this Duck Duck Go concept, we wanted to combine some VFX work with some dark humor. Shot in Chicago, IL.

Duck Duck Go Concept

Director: Andrew Freer
Writers: Matthew Adams & Andrew Freer

DP: Geno DiMaria
Producer: Jon Schwolsky
Production Designer: Sarah Lewis
Gaffer: Matthew Freer
Art Director: Lalo Ayala
AC: Jessica Tolliver
Key Grip: Kyle Karas
Grip: Elijah McGuffin
Grip: Matteus Rabel
BTS/Utility: Nathanael Filbert
PA: Claire Read

Talent:
On Screen Talent: Dylan Carey
Booked by: NV Talent

Woman in Nighthawks Painting VO: Elizabeth Hutchison
Man in Nighthawks Painting VO: Jon Schwolsky
Woman in Photo: Grandma Treece
Woman in Photo VO: Elizabeth Mialaret
Man in Line Drawing VO: Andrew Freer
Seagull VO: Jon Schwolsky
Final Painting VO: Andrew Freer Jon Schwolsky Liz Welker Carlson
End Card VO: Liz Welker Carlson

Original Stick Man Drawing Artwork: Ada Freer

Camera: Keslow Camera

VFX: Tell (Stewart Rosburg, Stephen Moore, and Krystal Anderson)
Editorial By: Lightpost Studios
Sound Design: NKPost
VO Recordings: Ethan Carlson
Colorist: Optimus, Colin Cubr

04/08/2025

Here’s our 3rd spec commercial of the year! We had some fun with this one and leaned into some comedy. Always fun to collaborate with Quinn Wilson! Shot in Chicago, IL.

Minnesota Lottery Concept

Directors: Andrew Freer & Quinn Wilson
Writers: Andrew Freer & Quinn Wilson

DP: Christopher Rejano
Producer: Emily Seddon
Production Designer: PJ Fitzgerald
AD: Jared Windler
Art Director: Melanie Gutierrez
AC: Gary Walker
Gaffer: Matthew Freer
Grip: Matteus Rabel
Sound Operator: Cesar Ortega
PA: Asa Simpson

Talent:
Nathan Adams Stark
Emily Seddon
LaVincent Terry
Ruth Kaufman
Daniel Brehm
Ed Gregory

VO: Sophie Isbell

Camera: Keslow Camera

Editorial By: Dodie Rendón
Colorist: Santiago Rosales

03/03/2025

Here's our 2nd spec project of the year! We are in a sprint to see how many we can create in 2025. More to come!

For this Everlast project, we leaned into the nimble nature of the FX3 to get some unconventional angles and movement.

Thank you to the whole Chicago team who worked on this! And a big thank you to Ayala Boxing Academy for allowing us to film there.

Everlast Boxing Concept

Director: Andrew Freer
Writer: Lightpost Studios
Producers: Lightpost Studios & Andrew Freer

DP: Matthew Freer
AC: Geno DiMaria
Gaffer: Tom Swiss
Special Thanks: Ben Sinclair & Kory Powell
BTS: Ben Sinclair

Talent: Robert Arias
Voiceover: Scoop Alexander

Editorial by: Lightpost Studios
Assistant Editor: Sam McCormick
Colorist: Geno DiMaria

Location: Ayala Boxing Academy

02/04/2025

It's 2025 and we're trying something new. This year, we're going to create as many spec commercial projects as possible to see what kind of new work opportunities it creates. This is the first one & more are coming! I'll let you know at the end of the year how the experiment worked!

For this Walmart+ concept, I wanted to use dynamic movement and music that incorporated the sounds of the holidays to tell the story of a rushed family getting ready for the big day.

Thank you to all the talented individuals who helped out on this. This couldn't have happened without the great production community here in Chicago.

Walmart+ Holiday Concept
Director: Andrew Freer
Writers: Matthew Adams & Andrew Freer

DP: Jessica Tolliver
Production Design: Elise Metzger Forward Fruit
AC: Matthew Freer
Gaffer: Geno DiMaria
Grip: Elijah McGuffin
AD: Katie Ray
PA: Dionte Bolling
Special Thanks: Ben Sinclair

Talent booked by Bravo: Bravo Talent Management

Camera: Keslow Camera

Composer: Ethan Carlson
Editorial By: Lightpost Studios
Colorist: Santiago Rosales

04/25/2024

I'm looking for a working retro 80s/90s style video (VHS?) camera for a shoot I have coming up in a few weeks. Send me an email if you have one that I could borrow or rent/buy for cheap! [email protected]

10/13/2023

We shot this documentary short for the Financial Times and Boston Consulting Group over the summer. Fun times on the farm!

05/31/2022

Heave Ho worked with Director Quinn Wilson on this spot for T***y. It was a treat to collaborate with amazing individuals all the way from concept to flush.

Props to T***Y for helping make poo-time more sustainable.

Production Company: Heave Ho Productions
Directed By: Quinn Wilson & Miles Jappa
Produced By: Andrew Freer & Kelsey Bunner
Starring: Geoff Dow & Kelsey Bunner
Director of Photography: Mark L James
Camera Op:
Art Director: Megan Brasfield
Sound Mixer: Matthew Freer
Production Coordinator: David A Moran
Hair & Make Up: Colleen O'Sullivan
Editor: Nate Brav-McCabe
Post Sound Design: Alec Chojnacki
Color: .hillyray
Location: Honey Bee Gardens Farm in Downers Grove IL. Cindy Honeybeegardens
Equipment: 2nd Decade Productions & Heave Ho Productions

12/31/2020

Woohoo - looks like The Machine won best sci-fi film at the Roma Short Film Festival. We'll take it.

10/15/2020

A quick plug here for my children's book which just got released today!

If you've always wanted a story where a piece of ham runs for mayor of the fridge, then this book is for you!

The first draft of "Hamslice Jr. & the Political Pickle' was written pre-2016 election, so it's been a long time in the making.

The book is a great way for kids to learn more about politics, voting and elections - but it's also fun for adults and full of puns, fun illustrations and more.

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L2KC917/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dTgIFbQNBQ1Z5
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L6YX9WZ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_gVgIFbVVBG5CY

Also, if you order the book and like it, please leave a review as it helps with our SEO so more people can find it.

Thanks!

07/28/2020

Here's a write up about a short film we created at the end of quarantine. We've submitted it to festivals so it is not available publicly yet, but will share as soon as we are able!

https://filmdaily.co/indie-film/indie-filmmakers/the-machine-heave-ho/

Heave Ho Productions, like many other production houses, found themselves locked down thanks to COVID-19. But that didn't stop them from creating.

04/18/2020

I wanted to write a quick post here about a scammer potentially using Heave Ho Productions info in order to scam actors out of money on Backstage. This person's name is Donald Cherry and is in no way affiliated with Heave Ho Productions. Please do not respond to this person and report them to Backstage if you see any further evidence of this occurring. Thanks.