Roll ’em! SunTran shoots commercial in GV, Sahuarita

Lights, camera, action!

Filming began Wednesday on a TV commercial that will feature the first Green Valley resident to ride Sun Tran’s regional shuttle service.

Basil Baker said he often rides the Sun Shuttle to Tucson with his bicycle in tow, and from there takes one of the many bike routes available, navigating through unique downtown neighborhoods or exploring the Rillito Wash. You can see him in the commercial securing his bicycle to the rack on the front of the shuttle.

He will also be shown talking about his personal experience riding the Sun Shuttle along with several shuttle riders from Tucson, Oro Valley and Marana.

“We’ve been trying to find riders with a specific story to tell,” said Scot Litteer, a videographer who is filming the commercial, and the owner of Litteer Film in Tucson.

He said they contacted Baker after reading a May article in the Green Valley News about the unveiling of the Sun Shuttle in Green Valley and Sahuarita. Baker’s enthusiasm and his love for bicycling caught their attention.

“Basil’s great,” said Litteer. “He’s fired-up and he’s full of personality.”

The commercial should begin airing throughout Pima County in January.

Baker, a winter visitor to Green Valley for 25 years, is from British Columbia. He said Wednesday he was having a great time filming the commercial, actively taking part in the directing process and offering up helpful suggestions to Litteer.

A makeup artist applied and re-applied a special powder throughout the shoot but Baker declined a free hair cut.

“This is a lot of fun,” said Baker, “and I’m happy to be doing it.”

Litteer shot at several locations around Green Valley and Sahuarita throughout the day. He said he was trying to capture “iconic Green Valley,” such as recognizable neighborhoods along Abrego Drive, the pecan groves along Nogales Highway, and the brightly colored Green Valley Village, which he sees as a kind of town square for the community.

The crew didn’t film in areas where the shuttles won’t go to avoid confusing and misleading potential riders, he said.

“Hopefully, when they show the Dollar Store in the commercial, it will resonate with viewers that there’s a shuttle stop right in front of that store,” he said.

The shuttle service has one route each in Sahuarita and Green Valley and third connector route through both communities that goes to Tucson.

Deviated service offers door-to-door service with advance notice, and Sun Shuttle is considering additional options that would get people home more quickly after taking a bus to a location.

Baker takes Route 421, which circulates in Sahuarita and Green Valley then heads north through several business districts before reaching the Laos and Ronstadt transit centers in Tucson.

Regional Transportation Authority and Sun Tran officials were worried by lower-than-expected ridership this summer, but say they’ve seen numbers pick up in the fall and expect even more good news with the return of Green Valley’s snow birds.

“We’ve been seeing improvements week to week, especially with the winter residents returning,” said Michele Joseph, Sun Tran’s marketing director. “A lot of people left before Sun Shuttle started service down here and are just now discovering it.”

“We want people to just try it, and if they’re hesitant, to try it with a buddy,” she said.

jrichardson@gvnews.com