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NBC’s “Chicago Fire” about the firefighters and paramedics at the firehouse of Engine 51, marked the airing of its 100th episode last week and with it, a high economic milestone for the Chicago film industry.

The show currently ranks as NBC’s second highest-rated series behind Tuesday night’s ensemble drama, “This is Us.”

Ratings have gone up from year-to-year. The Dec. 6 episode captured 7.774 million viewers, which certainly has to have a positive effect on tourism. And the odds are definitely in favor of a sixth season for the show.

“Chicago Med,” the talked about third panel of Dick Wolf’s popular “Chicago” triptych, is looming as a sure thing as seven new characters will be introduced in “Chicago Fire.”

DICTIONARY FILMS’DIRECTORS’ ROSTER expanded with duo Eric McCoy and Justus Meyer, aka McCoy|Meyer, raising the number of directors to eight.  The Columbia College grads, 2005 and 2011, respectively, who have been working together since 2012, are based in Los Angeles. 

The Chicago film industry got a nice surprise Wednesday when NBC Universal announced early renewals of Dick Wolf Films’ “Chicago Fire” and “Chi

Chicago’s pilot season starts off with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business scheduled to shoot here. Fox Television has greenlighted “Empire,” a drama from “The Butler’s” team of executive producer/director Lee Daniels and writer Danny Strong.

“Empire” will headquarter at Cinespace and shoot for 12-13 days in mid-to-late March.

IF ADVERTISING’S DARK SIDE is displayed in “Mad Men,” then CBS’ new series, “The Crazy Ones,” is a 180-degree turn to a sitcom made even zanier by the return of the original mad man, Robin Williams, who made his TV debut in “Mork and Mindy,” way back in 1978.

With five high-profile network TV shows set for filming here, alongside three mega-budget features, so far, 2013 should be the state’s highest grossing year ever – an estimated $225 million — in its nearly 40 years of hosting Hollywood entertainment projects. 

The Chicago Film Office (CFO) at the Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced Monday that local media and entertainment production reached record levels in 2016.

Fox Television announced that two of its four dramatic pilots that filmed in Chicago this winter were greenlit for series production. While not officially stated, there’s strong reason to expect new series will return to Chicago.

“That would be extraordinarily good news,” notes Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal. “This surge of activity points to the quality of our crews, talent and facilities and Chicago’s ability to be a major player in episodic television.”

“Chicago Fire” creators Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, who created the franchise, have signed a deal with Universal TV, the studio producing the multi Chicago-set series.

Under the pact they will continue to be executive producers of “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago PD” and “Chicago Med” and also on the “Chicago Justice,” the backdoor pilot that airs as episode 21 of “Chicago PD’s” third season airing in May.

Gray Talent Group client Justin Cornwell flew to Los Angeles this week to start filming his co-starring role with Bill Paxton in “Training Day,” a Warner Bros. pilot for CBS.

After only 18 months in business, the Gill Hayes Talent Agency is expanding to Atlanta, with the move of Patti K. Gill, partner with Michelle Hayes, in early spring.

Linas Jodwalis’ new design-driven studio, Almost Gold, is striking gold with its collaboration with two well-established visual media experts, and will open its doors (literally) by Dec. 1.

Almost Gold’s 2,200-sq. ft. office at 1821 W. Hubbard, in the expanding Fulton Industrial Corridor, is in the final stages of a build-out and remodeling that Jodwalis is mostly handling himself.

At its meeting Monday night, members of Local 476 Studio Mechanics nominated, without opposition, business manager Mark Hogan, to his fourth consecutive three-year term in the organization he’s belonged to and served for four decades. 

Fortunately, Cinespace is a monster-sized film studio so it can easily accommodate the hundreds of guests expected to attend GalaWeen, a bewitching costume party Halloween night, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. until midnight, to support CineCares Foundation.

 KESLOW CAMERA doubled its Chicago staff to eight, with the recent hiring of Jim Summers as camera rentals marketing agent and three

Chicago’s infrastructure got another big boost with the official opening Monday of AbelCine’s new Learning Point at Cinespace — this region’s first-of-a-kind combo interactive showroom, classroom and community space.

LEO BURNETT trumped the Chicago International Film Festival TV awards by scoring 18 – or almost half — of the 40 television commercial awards presented last Wednesday at a ceremony at the Hyatt Magnificent Mile Hotel.

There’s no third season shooting in Chicago for USA Network’s quirky comedy half-hour “Sirens” series about a group of paramedics in Chicago.

By the time Sun-Times had headlined Gov. Bruce Rauner’s demand that Cinespace return a $10 million state grant, studio president Alex Pissios had already sent the uncashed check, plus interest, to the Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The pilot for “Chiraq,” a dramatic TV series about gang rivalry set in Chicago’s troubled South Side neighborhoods, created and produced by William Pierce of Filmquest, Inc. will screen Sunday, March 8 at the Studio Movie Grill on 87th St.

Fox Television has greenlit two dramatic pilots for production in Chicago. “Love is a Four Letter Word” and “Runner” will headquarter and shoot at Cinespace, joining Fox’ hit “Empire” and NBC Universal’s “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago PD.”

“A WHIRLWIND” SEASON of production – starting with a rush of commercials, four primetime network TV series, along with corporate and webs – has meant steady work for Chicago’s nationally respected talent.

“Agents have been busy overall,” notes David O’Connor of O’Connor Casting and the last month has been crazy for us, a whirlwind all year,” placing talent across the board.

PRODUCTION IS RAMPING UP as four TV shows get underway at Cinespace starting this Friday, when NBC Universal’s “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago PD” get underway this Friday, July 18, for seasons three and two, respectively.

Andy and Lana Wachowski’s first-ever TV series will start a production roll of three new TV series filming here this summer and fall, making up for the parched spell of TV shows the first half of 2014, especially when compared with 2013’s pilot and series bonanza.

NOTHING HAD BEEN HEARD from executive producer Michael Antonnuci since December, 2012, when he departed from Utopic, the production/post company he had co-founded three years earlier, a change that was attributed to a “restructuring” of the spot production division.

Whether he was aware of it or not, Nick Mirkopoulos, the late owner of Cinespace Studios, was a proponent of Chicago’s motto, “Make no little plans.”

Thanks to his meticulous planning for the company’s future, Cinespace Chicago will seamlessly continue to host major entertainment projects – and grow to become the biggest studio complex in the world.

Plans for laying the first tangible foundation for a thriving, home-grown independent film industry will be announced at a private “Chicago-Hollywood industry reception” by new E.N.D. Productions and Cinespace executives, Nov. 18 at Cinespace.

“Law and Order’s” Dick Wolf, who’s here filming two NBC TV shows will be the keynote speaker at Sunday’s Chicago Film and Media Summit & Expo at the Cultural Center at 5 p.m.  But be forewarned – his speech is open for registrants only so sign up to attend now.

AFTER THREE YEARS with Shirley Hamilton Talent as a TV and film agent, Sanaa Sayyed joined Claire Simon Casting as a casting assistant – where she first worked as an intern practically off the plane from Houston. 

Casting was always her first love, she says, and right now there’s no place busier than Simon, which is casting for TV series “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago PD,” “Betrayal,” “Crisis” and sci-fi feature “Jupiter Ascending.”

IN THE SPIRIT of cross-border camaraderie, Cinespace is making its Chicago and Toronto studios available to host both Canada Day festivities for the Canadian Consulate in Chicago on July 1 and Independence Day festivities for the US Consulate in Toronto on July 3.