Written by on Feb 13, 2015. Posted in Production News

Biscuit Filmworks shoots in California for Turbo Tax riff on Boston Tea Party

Biscuit Filmworks shot on location in Los Angeles and San Diego for a new Turbo Tax commercial set during the Boston Tea Party of 1773. It's an event that centred on a tax dispute and the spot shows British troops initially diffusing the situation by offering Turbo Tax’s free filing service.

The real Boston Tea Party involved American colonialists sabotaging an entire shipload of tea from the East India Company in a dispute over taxation from the British Crown. The Revolutionary War followed and the colonialists went on to win their independence in 1776.

The original plan for the Turbo Tax spot was to film on location in Boston, but the production team wasn’t able to secure a period ship to shoot on, or permission to use the harbour as a location.

“We needed a period-appropriate vessel to shoot and we were fortunate enough to find a proper vessel in San Diego, California,” explains Endy Hedman, a producer with Wieden + Kennedy.

The team filmed four nights on the HMS Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate.

“Since San Diego was basically chosen for us, Los Angeles was the logical place to shoot the remainder of the film and offers everything (and everyone) you need to pull off a period production like this,” Hedman continues.

The team filmed four nights on the HMS Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate that’s lived at the San Diego Maritime Museum since 2004. Shooting was entirely on location, with digital background features added in post-production.

Credits:
Client: Turbo Tax
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland
Creative Directors: Dan Kroeger and Max Stinson
Producer: Endy Hedman
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Noam Murro
Executive Producer: Colleen O’Donnell
Director of Photography: Simon Duggan