| Reel Chicago – At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production
Reel Chicago is a daily digital magazine that covers the news in Chicago on all aspects of advertising, film, TV, media and production. The content is original, written by industry experts and contributing Op Eds
3+ The economic impact of Covid-19 has hit CBS News and its Chicago affiliate WBBM CBS-2 in a big way. After 39 years of delivering award-winning investigative stories, iconic Pam Zekman was laid off. Zekman shared two Pulitzer prizes for her work at the Chicago Tribune, from 1971 to 1976, and the Sun-Times, from 1976 … Continue reading “Pam Zekman among those laid off at WBBM CBS-2”
2+ The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced that the network of 36 independent and locally-operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (FEP), have committed nearly $3 billion to date in support of members, health care workers and local communities to aid in the ongoing fight … Continue reading “BCBS commits $3 Billion to members and first responders”
3+ Exploring the line between religion and science form the foundation for CBS’s new mystery series Evil from creators Robert and Michelle King. The show, which has already been picked up for a second season, stars Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, a forensic psychologist who joins a priest-in-training (played by Mike Colter) as they investigate … Continue reading “Murphy finds the right color / contrast for CBS’ ‘Evil’”
3+ More great news to end the week for the Chicago production community. The Red Line — a drama series produced by Ava DuVernay (Wrinkle in Time) and Greg Berlanti (Supergirl, The Flash) — has been green lit for the fall by CBS. Warner Bros. Television, where Berlanti Productions is based, is the studio. Written … Continue reading “CBS orders Ava DuVernay drama “The Red Line””
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.
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.
What is it about CBS and round tables? When it comes to conceptualizing talk shows, somebody there must be hooked big time on seating people in a circle.
On Wednesday, that thought sprang to mind as we were watching “CBS This Morning,” the CBS network’s latest stab at getting a morning show right. For years CBS has been a perennial third-place finisher behind NBC and ABC in the network morning show competition.
1+ BYUtv, a family entertainment network available over cable, satellite and free streaming, announced a gamechanger with the premiere of a duo of new single-camera family comedies – The Parker Andersons and Amelia Parker. The two interwoven scripted series highlight events in the life of a blended multicultural, interracial family from two different perspectives. This completely new … Continue reading “The Parker Andersons & Amelia Parker Chicago-based duo”
1+ Chicago has opened eligibility for the COVID vaccine to Group 1C: Anyone over 16 who has certain medical conditions. The group Vaccinate Abuela Chicago, is making it their goal to share resources and find appointments in the communities hit hardest by COVID-19. Vaccinate Abuela Chicago’s mission is booking vaccinations for Black and Brown Chicagoans. … Continue reading “Vaccinate Abuela Chicago helping Latinx & Black families”
1+ More production news (and potential jobs) for the Chicago production community. After the success of the CW reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger starring Supernatural’s co-leading man Jared Padalecki, Riverdale’s co-executive producers Ariana Jackson and Anna Fricke have been given a straight-to-series order to The 4400, a reimagining of the 2004 USA Network drama. Jackson … Continue reading “The CW reboot ‘The 4400’ to shoot in Chicago area”
0 Editor’s Note: “The Reel Black List” is our annual spotlight of brothers and sisters in the worlds of advertising, film, TV, music, radio and media who are making a difference through their contributions and creativity on a daily basis. For the month of February, you will be able to celebrate wonderful human beings, like Tyler Davis … Continue reading “RBL Spotlight: actor, comedian, filmmaker Tyler Davis”
1+ Despite the CBS All-Access crashing right at kick off. Despite a somewhat lame, yet spectacle-laden Half-Time Show thanks to “Should have been nominated for a Grammy” The Weeknd. Despite atrocious ref calling. Super Bowl LV was a historic telecast as we saw the oldest NFL coach Bruce Arians, 68, and the oldest QB Tom … Continue reading “OKRP Creatives weigh in on Super Bowl ads”
1+ Cadillac’s electric future is illuminated with a “slice” of nostalgia from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands universe, in a new commercial debuting in the fourth quarter of this year’s big game. The new spot, from Leo Burnett Detroit and directed by O Positive’s David Shane, stars Timothée Chalamet, as Edward Scissorhands’s son Edgar, and Winona … Continue reading “Not Edward, Edgar Scissorhands in Cadillac LYRIQ”
1+ McDonald’s has unveiled its :30-second for the Super Bowl – Thank You for Driving Thru – which will air shortly before kickoff. For years, McDonald’s has heard its customers’ favorite songs blasting in their cars at the Drive Thru. This spot celebrates the musical moments Drive Thrus customers shared with a mashup of some … Continue reading “McDonald’s Super Bowl – Thank You for Driving Thru”
0 First, there were the Chicken wars. Now, Jimmy John’s finds itself in the middle of a sandwich war during the company’s first-ever Super Bowl commercial. The new spot from the Champaign, IL-based company features “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett as Tony Bolognavich, the “King of Cold Cuts.” Bolognavich runs a lean, mean and quite … Continue reading “You want a sandwich war? You got a sandwich war.”
2+ It’s the Friday before the big game, so expect a slew of Super Bowl reveals today. Guaranteed Rate, has announced that the newest ad in its national brand campaign, Believe You Will, will air Sunday. The theme line has a very Yoda-ish vibe about it. Created by Guaranteed Rate’s in-house team, the campaign focuses on the … Continue reading ““Believe You Will” in Guaranteed Rate’s SB spot”
0 Keeping their effort under wraps, Jeep announced it will debut one commercial during this Sunday’s (February 7, 2021) Big Game telecast. The spot will air in the second half of the game. Last year, the brand along with creative agency partner and Ad Age Small Agency of the Year Highdive, created the unforgettable, Emmy-nominated … Continue reading “Jeep to air one spot during Super Bowl”
1+ Chicago-based Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, has launched a consumer sentiment study to understand how consumers plan to watch and spend regarding Super Bowl LV. Overall, there will be fewer repeat watchers, fewer gatherings, and less planned spend. Numerator polled 1,500 past Super Bowl viewers, evaluating responses using … Continue reading “Super Bowl consumer spending down”
4+ “Now is a good time to retire. After 37 years at Cutters and 47 in the industry, I’m ready to move forward and retire here at year end.” That’s the rare email message our friends at Cutters Studios received in late 2020 from Senior Partner/Editor Chris Claeys. The heartfelt message hit many emotional notes … Continue reading “Cutters Chris Claeys retires from editing”
1+ The adventurous life awaits! “The Sienna Life” campaign, kicking off today, welcomes a refined and versatile minivan featuring bold design, available all-wheel drive, and enhanced fuel efficiency: the all-hybrid and all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna. The fully integrated campaign was developed against Toyota’s long-standing Total Toyota (T2) marketing model, fully considering the transcultural mainstream audiences … Continue reading “Burrell spot for Toyota Sienna celebrates spontaneity”
