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‘Beyond Chicago from the Air’ Premieres on WTTW


Chicago may be known for its skyline, but the rest of the state is also marked by breathtaking views — from Starved Rock State Park and the Mississippi River to the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.

Geoffrey Baer’s latest special, “Beyond Chicago from the Air,” explores Illinois’ landscape and landmarks from the air — using drone footage to take viewers across the state.

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“It was so great to be able to go beyond the borders of Chicago and talk about things I’ve never talked about before in my shows. Notably things like the Mississippi River,” Baer said. “I got to learn a lot about things I’ve never gotten to explore.”

“We got to take kind of a deeper dive into some of the things we have talked about before, and see it from the perspective of the air.”

The special features drone photography, taken by two types of drones, Baer said.

“I didn’t want this to just be video wallpaper. So our drone camera crew has one of those big drones and they can shoot the big sweeping shots, but then they also have a First Person View, where the drone camera person puts on goggles and drives it like in a video game,” Baer said.

The special highlights historical monuments and attractions across the area — from the Indiana Sand Dunes to the Old Joliet Prison — but it also touches on darker parts of the state’s past.

“We want to tell a full story. Native American people were not well treated, and we really talk a lot about Native American history and Indigenous history in this show,” Baer said.

The new special is the follow up to Baer’s “Chicago from the Air“ released last year.

“Beyond Chicago from the Air” premiered Wednesday night on WTTW platforms. The full documentary can also be watched online, along with footage from behind-the-scenes.


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