Business & Tech
Actor Fred Willard Makes Cameo in Sierra Madre
NBC Internet series stars Sierra Madre as the fictional town of Maple Grove.
Visitors to downtown Sierra Madre on Tuesday got a sneak peek at a forthcoming episode of the NBC web series In Gale We Trust. The series of short, comedic episodes--now in its third season--is set in the fictional town of Maple Grove, a starring role given to Sierra Madre.
“Sierra Madre has that sort of small town America feel that we were looking for,” said Cameron Death (pronounced “Deeth”), head of NBC Universal Digital Studio, which produces Internet-only content for the massive film and television studio.
On set for the day, along with the shows regulars and a large production crew, was actor Fred Willard.
Perhaps best known for his roles in films such as Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman and This Is Spinal Tap, Willard has a miles-long resume with credits on everything from major films such as Anchorman and Wall-E to, well, small Internet series like this one.
The series has been filming in Sierra Madre since its inception and, according to Death, they have at least seven more shoots scheduled in town this year alone.
Loves Sierra Madre
“We really love shooting here,” said Death. “Not just because the town fits the part, but because the people have been so great to work with.”
In Gale We Trust, along with other web series produced by the NBC Digital Studio, represent a new direction for scripted comedy, as well as advertising. Each series has a single corporate sponsor, and the episodes are essentially vehicles for continued product placement.
The show’s main character, Gale, for example, works for American Family Insurance, the show’s underwriter. Thus, the series tracks Gale as she interacts with the wacky people of Maple Grove, trying her best to explain the benefits of her companies products.
It’s a business model that has attracted a considerable amount of attention from media outlets like Mashable.com, who held a Q&A with Cameron Death recently at their “Mashable Connect” 2011 conference. A YouTube video of that interview is attached to this story.
Those interested in learning more about the series or perhaps catching a few episodes, need only click over to NBC’s website, where the show has its own page, complete with all back episodes.