“The Closer” premiered today, Oct. 5, on Netflix. Dubbed the “sixth chapter,” the special follows “The Age of Spin,” “Deep In The Heart of Texas,” “Equanimity,” “The Bird Revelation” and “Sticks and Stones.” In particular, “Sticks and Stones” garnered three Emmys, including outstanding writing for a variety special and outstanding variety special.
The locally-shot promo was released on Monday.
FilmDayton was honored to help Netflix get this promo shoot done a couple of weeks ago along Wilberforce Clifton Rd!
Posted by FilmDayton on Monday, October 4, 2021
The short video opens with Chappelle at the wheel, driving down an unmarked country road.
“This is Dave,” Freeman narrates, not yet on camera. “He tells jokes for a living. Driving down these country roads is a lot like meditation.”
The filming location likely wouldn’t be recognizable to non-locals. However, a few seconds of drone footage include a couple of local homes and the sprawling Yellow Springs countryside.
Lisa Grigsby, executive director of FilmDayton, said she was recently contacted by Netflix on a Tuesday and was informed they wanted to begin shooting two days later. The Dayton Film Commissioner jumped into action and began booking hotels and caterers for the nearly 15-member crew.
According to Grigsby, over a period of about three days, the crew shooting the trailer spent around $40,000 in the region. In addition, a few locals were briefly hired to assist with production.
“That’s kind of what FilmDayton is all about - economic development,” Grigsby said. “(Considering) everything (the crew and others) spent in town, it’s just letting people know that, ‘Hey, there really is a lot of business in film to be brought here.”
Grigsby said she wasn’t privy to where Chappelle, Freeman and the crew ate or visited over their brief visit. However, she noted Yellow Springs’ Current Cuisine catered meals during the shoot.
“The Closer” is directed by Emmy winner Stan Lathan, who has helmed all six of Chappelle’s Netflix specials.
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