Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 11, 1993 TAG: 9306110173
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: GLOUCESTER LENGTH: Medium
"Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart," the kids chanted as the bus carrying Stephenson Child Care & Development Center youngsters approached the Gloucester County store one day last August.
When their teacher, Robin Marshall, wrote to Wal-Mart officials about the incident, store executives thought it would make a great TV ad.
"She was ecstatic" when the response came, said her boss, Amber Stephenson. "She said it felt the same as if she'd gotten a call from Ed McMahon."
Wednesday, the day-care center was turned into a film studio as workers arranged mirrors to enhance lighting, tested sound levels and applied makeup and fixed the costumes of the commercial's stars.
Those stars were a dozen youngsters, ages 4 to 8, many of whom had been on the bus during the original ride. Marshall played herself, and Stephenson, who was driving the bus, did it again for the cameras.
All of the actors with speaking parts will be paid union scale, said a spokeswoman for Bernstein-Rein Advertising, the Kansas City, Mo., agency that is producing the commercial.
"There's no guarantee at this point that it will ever be aired, but I would say the chances look good," she said.
Filming a TV commercial Director Wayne Westbrook asked the young actors how they felt. "It's fun and we don't have to be in school," one said. can be tedious. Before each segment was shot, director Wayne Westbrook worked with the children, encouraging them and establishing a rapport as makeup and costume people made last-minute adjustments.
Westbrook asked the young actors how they felt. "It's fun and we don't have to be in school," one said.
Filming of the commercial is scheduled to be completed today.
Bernstein-Rein has been making ads for Wal-Mart for 17 years, with all except this one filmed in Kansas City, the agency spokeswoman said.
"This one is unique," she said.
by CNB