THE “CHICAGO FIRE” PILOT is scheduled to shoot here March 14 through April 1, according to the Chicago Film Office’s Rich Moskal, who says no cast or director is confirm. And, he adds cautiously, “There’s no guarantee the series will be shot in Chicago.” But given the fact the show is coming from “Law & Order’s” Dick Wolf, “There’s also a high expectation the series will be greenlighted and shoot here this summer.”
With the pilot and two series shooting within the same time frame, Chicago’s TV scene will look a lot like the late ‘90s when the city boasted three or four simultaneously shot series.
“Chicago Fire’s” shooting schedule will overlap the two series already scheduled: Starz second season of “Boss,” March 19 to July 11 and MTV’s new “Underemployed,” April 19-July 15.
The pilot, one of 10 NBC Universal okayed for production, marks Wolf’s first foray outside of New York, where variations of “Law & Order” (“Special Victims,” “Criminal Intent”) are set and filmed.
Writers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (“3:10 to Yuma”) are executive producers, along with Wolf and his team. Wolf Films and Universal Television will produce.
CUTTERS L.A. IS CELEBRATING the Documentary Short Subject Oscar nomination of documentarian Lucy Walker’s “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom,” which was edited by Cutters’ L.A.’s Japanese-born Aki Mizutani, who was in Japan when the earthquake struck.
“Aki brought a lot of energy and desire to the project,” says producer Kira Carstensen. “She had felt bad leaving Japan and thought that this was one way she could give back and help the people of Japan.”
The short is about the resilience and optimism of the Japanese people after the devastating in March, 2011 earthquake. Aaron Phillips was the DP and Moby scored the music. L.A.’s Picture House handled finishing and sound mixing.
THE RON BESS SILVER MEDAL reception and luncheon has been rescheduled for March 23 at the Drake Hotel, to honor Euro RSCG’s respected and admired head man. The annual Chicago Ad Federation affair was originally set for Jan. 20, but was unexpectedly canceled due to personal reasons.
Speaking of the CAF, it is accepting nominations for its annual Advertising Woman of the Year award (of which I was a recipient back in the day, the only woman from the film industry ever so honored). Deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 15. For additional info contact Meg Pawelski at mpawelski@chicagoadfed.org.
FOR SOME HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR, the Gene Siskel Film Center again hosts Academy-sanctioned Oscar Night® in America Feb. 26 – one of only 50 such parties sanctioned by the Academy. The evening is planned like a Hollywood gala where you can walk the red carpet, drink champagne, enjoy dinner generously donated by MJ Catering, watch Ch. 7’s HD telecast of the awards, consult the official Academy Awards program – plus win prizes at raffle drawings, a silent auction and impromptu drawings throughout the night.
REEL MICHIGAN: Michigan Production Alliance’s Feb. 16 meeting will be hosted by Fletcher Camera & Lenses at its Detroit offices, where it will present a demonstration of hot new cameras Sony F3, Red Epic, Red Scarlet and Canon C300.
Senior engineer, Apple Master Trainer Geno Moliterno, Steve Local 600 DP and first assistant camera loader, and editor Steve Smith, Local 600 loader will address the functionality and practical use of each camera system as it relates to the Michigan production market.
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