Large number of LA houses shooting spots in Chicago

COMMERCIALS FILMING HERE are big, notes Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal, pointing to Radiant Pictures of LA’s shoot for Toyota night over five nights last week in the financial district, along the river and State Street, involving helicopters and cranes and cameras from Keslow Camera, now making a splash in spots.

Assembly Films of LA will be here three days this week shooting at the Hyatt Hotel on Wacker Drive … LA’s Pretty Bird for Gatorade arrives in early September… Also in September, a six-day shoot over 10 days for Art Van furniture stores by Carlin Films of Orchard Lake Village, Michigan, directed by JB Carlin, a Columbia College grad. Grip and lighting from Essanay. LA director

Joe Murray directs spots for multicultural agency Paco Communications: ComEd Hispanic Heritage Month; “Gift of Hope” organ donors PSA and Blue Cross Blue Shield, editing with Filter … STORY’s tabletop pro Laurie Rubin shoots a new menu item for McDonald’s at Essanay and John Komenich for Pam cooking spray … One at Optimus produces for Orbit gum.

SPINOFF “CHICAGO MED” has lost its executive producer, Andrew Dettmann, over creative differences between the show runner and other series executives. No replacement announced as yet. Lead actress Laurie Holden (“The Walking Dead”) left the show two weeks ago for personal reasons.

The show is currently casting for additional new roles. The cast includes Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Nick Gehlfuss, Yaya DaCosta, Colin Donnell and Trian Tee. The new Dick Wolfe 13-part series will premiere Nov. 17 on NBC.

AT DIGITAL KITCHEN, Mike Radtke was hired as senior editor, returning from LA where he’d been working since 2009, most recently at Imaginary Forces editorial. A Michigan native, Radtke worked in for LA post houses since graduating Central Michigan University in 2009. His first LA staff job was production assistant on NBC’s “Community.”

His spot credits include McDonald’s, Crest, Toyota and Sapporo, and his editorial on titles for ABC’s “Betrayal,” Fpx’ “Goodwin Games” and feature director Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim.”

NOW AVAILABLE, Grace McPhillips’ dramatic thriller, “The Other One,” will be released for sale by Amazon on Sept. 8. Starring McPhillips and Nancy Sellers, directed by Josef Steiff, it was filmed at a farmhouse in Galena last year.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS, a nonprofit that helps disadvantage women by providing professional attire, will be the recipient of Agency Galatea’s Midsummer Soiree, an evening of art, drinks, fundraising Sept. 11 at the Gallery 2506, 2506 N. California.

REEL HOLLYWOOD: Ken Howard was reelected president of SAG AFTRA but surprisingly, his Unite for Strength running mate, Jenny O’Hara, was toppled by Patricia Richardson in the race for secretary-treasurer. Howard cited the successful SAG AFTRA merger and more than $800 million in contracts without a strike as two main reasons for being returned to office.

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