ABOUT THE FERN
Ryan Cheevers founded Little Red Fern, LLC in April 2019 to bring his Hollywood-honed storytelling skills to brands in Southwest Michigan and beyond. Most recently, Little Red Fern served as the production company for Friday Football Tailgate, a vibrant one-hour high school football pregame show that brought communities together at four unique locations.
Ryan’s career began at Warner Bros. Studios, where he worked as a personal intern to Academy Award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code). He later contributed to the script development of major films like Dumb and Dumber To, Daddy’s Home, and The Wolf of Wall Street while working at renowned production houses like Radar Pictures and Red Granite Pictures. These experiences gave him a deep understanding of how to craft stories that connect with audiences on an emotional level.
Today, Ryan channels that expertise into his work with clients, helping them tell their unique stories in ways that resonate. Whether producing a high-energy video campaign or crafting a heartfelt brand narrative, Ryan’s ability to combine cinematic storytelling with strategic messaging ensures that every project stands out. Through Little Red Fern and his work as a co-owner of Paper Crane Productions, Ryan continues to elevate local voices while creating content that’s as impactful as it is memorable.
Named to Moody on the Market’s 40 Under 40 in 2019, Ryan proves that the best stories don’t just entertain—they inspire action and build connections.
FEATURE FILM CREDITS
REALTRUCK: BRING YOUR TRUCK TO LIFE
(PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/EDITOR)
Little Red Fern produced a video spotlighting RealTruck’s new distribution center in Pendergrass, Georgia. The video showcases the facility’s scale, employees’ enthusiasm, and the team’s dedication, capturing authentic moments that celebrate the hard work behind this exciting milestone.
Seadek: “Every Step of the way”
(Writer/producer)
SeaDek Marine Products sought a fresh approach to storytelling. JV Studios, LLC hired Ryan Cheevers to craft the script for SeaDek’s 90-second brand video, showcasing the company’s innovation and expanding vision in an engaging and impactful way.
BOSS SERVICES “THE DOLLHOUSE”
(WRITER/DIRECTOR/EDITOR)
Boss Services was looking to throw a comedic punch as part of a video marketing campaign. Ryan Cheevers worked with Boss to develop a unique angle — and the Dollhouse was born! The commercial has been a successful OTT campaign.
Seadek: “Vacation santa”
(Writer/Casting)
Santa is getting ready for Christmas, reviewing everything about to leave Santa’s workshop. He notices a SeaDek product, which triggers a thought — maybe I’ll take this Christmas off to go on vacation.
Youtech: "We're Just Here for the Paninis” (WRITER/Casting director)
Little Red Fern produced a video spotlighting RealTruck’s new distribution center in Pendergrass, Georgia. The video showcases the facility’s scale, employees’ enthusiasm, and the team’s dedication, capturing authentic moments that celebrate the hard work behind this exciting milestone.
ZENB “CHEF BALLERS”
(PRODUCER/EDITOR)
To help promote their yellow pea pasta, ZENB hired Ryan Cheevers and his team to produce four 30-minute chef cook-off episodes for a YouTube web series. Ryan hired JV Studios, LLC to manage the production. The final result — a cool plug on Good Morning America!
FIRST TEE OF BENTON HARBOR
”NOTHING BUT CUP” - (WRITER/DIRECTOR/EDITOR)
As part of their scholarship dinner, First Tee of Benton Harbor wanted to present a video that would really engage their audience. Ryan Cheevers pitched First Tee a remake of a famous 90’s McDonald’s commercial that featured Michael Jordan and Larry Bird (“Nothing But Net”).
Seadek: “Grown ups are weird”
(Writer/Casting)
Mallory, and her bestie (Elsa), think grown-ups are “Weird.” Particularly when Mallory’s parents think they bought a new bought, when all they did was have SeaDek flooring installed.
zenb “eat like it matters”
(producer/editor)
ZENB, a company making pasta from yellow peas, enlisted Ryan Cheevers and his team to create a groundbreaking video. Traveling to Tokyo and Handa, Japan, they interviewed key players and highlighted the manufacturing process for this 9th-generation brand.
McGhee’s: Is that the hvac company you called?
(WRITER/DIRECTOR/Producer/EDITOR)
McGhee’s Heating and Air Conditioning needed an engaging way to connect with their audience. The Little Red Fern team crafted the script, hired the crew, and cut together a :30 second commercial that got some laughs and plenty of views.
21-year-old Dana Carvey's first encounter with Robin Williams (Editor)
Ryan Cheevers edited a compelling clip from So, How’d You Get Here? featuring Dana Carvey sharing a heartfelt story about his first experience meeting the legendary Robin Williams, highlighting their humor, connection, and Carvey's admiration for the iconic comedian.
friday football tailgate: “Watervliet at South Haven” (Producer/writer)
Serenity Springs wanted a video that would really capture the experience they create for their visitors. Ryan Cheevers was hired by JV Studios, LLC to write the script and cast the talent.
SERVICES
At Little Red Fern Productions, we specialize in bringing your vision to life with creative storytelling and high-quality production. From initial concept development to final delivery, we provide a full range of services tailored to meet your unique needs. Whether you’re looking to produce compelling video content, design stunning graphics, or create engaging digital campaigns, we’re here to help every step of the way.
Pre-Production
Conceptualization (Ideation)
Script-writing
Storyboarding
Scheduling
Brainstorming
Production
Multi-Camera Projects
Scripted Commercials
Testimonials
Interviews
Podcast Productions
Live Event Recaps
Drone Photography/Videography
Graphic Design
Digital and Print Ads
Social Media Banners & Posts
Annual Reports
Posters, Flyers, and Brochures
Web Design
In the News
New High School Football Pregame Show Spotlights Historic Rivalries, Competitive Match-ups, Kicks off Friday for Niles @ SJ
Have you ever thought about what it would be like if ‘College Game Day’ came to a high school football game? A couple of area television producers did just that! And they came up with a locally focused program they believe will generate pre-game excitement.
‘Friday Football Tailgate’, an electrifying, unique new pre-game show dedicated to high school football rivalries and big matchups, is set to kick off its first season this fall in Michigan’s Great Southwest.
Ryan Cheevers, owner of Little Red Fern Productions, shares his excitement: “Friday Football Tailgate will bring the authenticity and grassroots spirit of high school football to the forefront. We’re celebrating the communities, the rivalries, and the stories that make high school football so special, and we can’t wait to kick this off on August 30th at St. Joseph when the Bears welcome the Vikings.”
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A SIP OF NOSTALGIA: LOCAL FILMMAKERS SEEK EXTRAS FOR COMMERCIAL SHOOT AT PEAT’S CIDER SOCIAL
Lights. Camera. Bowling. Cider. Action.
Little Red Fern, a visual media company based in southwest Michigan, is looking for extras for a new commercial production that films next Tuesday, March 7 at Peats Cider Social.
Filmmaker and storyteller Ryan Cheevers said his company is once again teaming up with local production company JV Studios on a commercial that will transport its audience back to another era.
The video is titled “A Sip of Nostalgia,” and will begin in present-day. Cheevers said the lead actor will then take a sip of Peat’s cider and be taken to the late 1960’s.
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SJ VIDEO PRODUCERS WORK FEATURED ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA
Earlier this year, Ryan Cheevers, of St. Joseph, was selected to help create the show “Chef Ballers,” with his California-based company Paper Crane Productions.
Gluten-free food brand ZENB recently premiered the show, which features Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls, WNBA star Te’a Cooper, and is hosted by Master Chef Alum Monti Carlo. The show is airing before select Chicago Bulls games this December and was featured on a recent segment of Good Morning America.
Cheever said received the call in June that Paper Crane Productions, would produce the 4-episode, 24-minute show in Chicago. Cheevers said knew he’d need a team in the windy city to collaborate with, and his first call was to current southwest Michigan residents, John Pinto and Vince Pinto, of Chicago-based JV Studios.
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Dana Carvey on witnessing a pre-fame Robin Williams perform: 'He was so confident, completely spontaneous'
Dana Carvey is best known for his performances as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where he starred for seven seasons between 1986 and 1993, and, of course, for famously playing the role of the loveable Garth Algar in Wayne’s World. When it comes to Carvey’s big inspirations, it’s perhaps unsurprising that he has a soft spot for Robin Williams.
Carvey, reflecting on significant moments in his carer, once explained the first time he ever saw Williams perform, back when Williams was an unknown talent. It was in San Francisco where Carvey first caught wind of a comedy show taking place over the bridge in Berkley, an event that happened to feature a young Robin Williams.
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