Several new projects will kick off the official April 1 opening of the 5,000-sq. ft. space being shared by Andrew Ryann’s full-service MotoMedia production company and Lauralyn Farwell’s Gabriel Media Group at 700 N. Carpenter St.
The freshly decorated first floor space starts off with four offices, two editing suites with an option to expand the number of suites, a conference room, an area for additional office cubicles and the potential to build-out a 40×25-ft. soundproofed stage.
“We also have a big, open area that could be used for public events,” Ryann says.
Leaseholder Ryann and lessee Farwell have been strategic partners in media development and web solution providers for the past year.
“Continuing under one roof is a natural progression that makes sense for both our companies and clients,” he notes.
MotoMedia and GMG have collaborated on projects for clients including the Wrigley Company and Mead Johnson Nutrition. Pilots for a pair of TV shows to be produced locally are among several projects they have in development.
Television is second nature to Ryann, who started freelancing as camera and sound for the Oprah show in the early ‘90s and became an associate producer. For a decade, he directed and shot for the daily Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos’ shows, independently, and later as a partner in Pixel Brothers, until the shows left the city in 2009.
Ryann recently completed one of his biggest jobs for the Wrigley Company, a client of many years, shooting some of Wrigley’s 16,000 associates and 30 point-of-sale locations throughout Europe and Asia and producing a corporate affairs doc that was shown worldwide throughout the company.
A current assignment for Farwell’s GMG is an iPad app for a large national company that will be used as an interactive training tool. Recently launched was a massive website — 150 pages in English and 150 pages in Spanish – for the Illinois Poison Center.
“We were also selected as a North American partner to help develop the social network platform ELGG, managed by Curve-Rider of London,” she says.
Farwell is CEO/partner of GMG; Lennie Urbanski is partner/chief technology officer and newly-hired Yung Yoon is a developer.
Ryann is MotoMedia’s executive producer, Rebecca Zaucha is producer/editor and Dayna Schmidt is business specialist.
Says Farwell, looking ahead: “We want to build a community of people we enjoy working with.” Adds Ryann, “And we now have the space to bring a few more synergistic partners under one roof to expand our capabilities.”
MotoMedia’s phone is 312/675-8092. See motomedia.us.
Gabriel Media Group’s is 312/772-2571. See gabrielmediagroupinc.com
