| 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
It’s happened. After more than a week of intense media speculation — both locally and nationally — Larry Wert made it official Wednesday afternoon.
Wert is leaving his post as general manager of NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and joining the Tribune Co., where he will have the title president of local broadcasting.
AMERICA’S BEST BITES is a new half-hour reality show from Tribune Broadcasting, where the hosts take tips from viewers via Facebook and Twitter and travel to those areas to sample the “must eat” fare.
Hosts are Ted Brunson, host of Chicago’s Best, and L.A.-based Natalie Forte, who has hosted and reported features for ABC Family and Reelz Channel.
Chicago may get back in the talk show business, almost one year after the Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos’ shows departed for Connecticut. And Springer’s former executive producer and director will be back at work on the new shows.
Robert Feder’s local broadcasting blog reports that EP Richard Dominick and director Greg Klazura will tape a pair of talk show pilots over two weekends in June at Ch. 9 for syndication by Tribune Broadcasting.
0 35 years later, Ferris Bueller returns to Chicago for Chicago Public Library’s Live From the Library. Matthew Broderick returns to Chicago virtually this morning live on CPL’s Facebook and Instagram pages at 10 am, reading his childhood favorite Cannonball Simp by John Burningham. It’s been nearly 35 years since Matthew Broderick showed us that … Continue reading “Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?”
1+ What a year, huh? 2020, which felt like a decade, will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the worst years ever. And who will argue? Certainly not the staff at Reel Chicago. This year, COVID forced productions to shut down. Then start back up. Then shut back down. Then start back up. … Continue reading “2020 in Review: Reel Chicago’s Biggest Stories”
0 After more than 45 years of service, Barbara Scharres (MFA 1972) will retire from her position as Director of Programming at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center. For over four decades, Scharres has played a critical role in determining the conceptual vision of the organization, establishing numerous landmark … Continue reading “Barbara Scharres retires from Gene Siskel Film Center”
1+ 2020 has taken so many legends from us. Reel Chicago is sad to report that iconic newsman Joel Daly, who spent nearly 40 years at ABC affiliate WLS, died today at around 5:30 a.m. at his home in LaGrange. He was 86. “He died peacefully,” his daughter Kelly told the Chicago Tribune referring to her father … Continue reading “WLS news legend Joel Daly passes away at 86”
1+ Applications are now open for the 2021 cycle of the Chicago Film Office’s Chicago Independent Producers Lab. Participating producers will have the chance to work with industry professionals to grow their network and expertise in different areas of independent film producing. Full Spectrum Features and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) recognize … Continue reading “Applications open for Chicago Independent Producers Lab”
1+ Today is the beginning of the 56th Chicago International Film Festival. Unlike other years, the prestigious festival is a bit different than the ones we have experienced in the past. With an ongoing pandemic and COVID on the rise in Illinois, the fest is combining streaming on-demand and appointment screenings and an in-person drive-in … Continue reading “Interview: CIFF Senior Programmer Anthony Kaufman”
0 Reeling announces the winners of the 38th annual Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival. The festival was held virtually this year from September 24 to October 7 and the event included 39 programs with films from 21 countries. The festival featured 31 Q&As with filmmakers which have been recorded and can be viewed here. We … Continue reading “Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ Int’l Film Fest award winners”
1+ Gale “Kansas Comet” Sayers, Legendary Chicago Bears running back who’s book the 1971 movie Brian’s Song was based on, died today. He was 77. His death was announced by David Baker, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Inducted back in 1977, he was the youngest player in pro football history to join … Continue reading “Chicago Bears’ legend Gale Sayers dies at 77”
2+ This fall, WTTW tells the dramatic story of a defining and prescient moment in Chicago history, the Great Fire of 1871 when Chicagoans faced destruction, rebuilt, and prepared the city for a thriving future. The Great Chicago Fire, a one-hour Chicago Stories special, premieres on Friday, October 9 at 8:00 pm, the 149th anniversary … Continue reading “‘The Great Chicago Fire’ to air on WTTW”
3+ National Geographic announced the acquisition of CITY SO REAL, an official Indie Episodic selection at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, set to premiere on the network this fall. From twice Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Steve James (America to Me, Hoop Dreams) and his longtime producing partner Zak Piper (Life Itself, The Interrupters) the fascinating and … Continue reading “National Geographic acquires Kartemquinn’s City so Real”
4+ Montrose Pictures has announced that Algren, the feature length documentary about the award-winning writer, Nelson Algren, will premiere on WTTW, Chicago’s PBS station, this month, running on July 24-27th. Algren spotlights the creative legacy of one of the most underrated writers of the twentieth century. It was directed by Michael Caplan, Associate Professor in Cinema and Television … Continue reading “Nelson Algren documentary premieres on WTTW”
3+ The team at Reel Chicago feels that Pam Zekman is as much a part of Chicago as Navy Pier, the Cubs, and Vienna dogs. Clearly the people of Chicago feel the same way. Comments and tributes began pouring in after hearing the disturbing news that Pam lost her position of 39 years as investigative … Continue reading “Legendary Pam Zekman honored with virtual tributes”
2+ “Ruh-roh.” Yesterday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot put the Chicago Teachers Union on blast as she deemed a Tweet and an Instagram post from the union as “clearly racist.” The tweet shows a full-color cartoon version of Lightfoot bound by a rope (let’s reiterate an African American woman bound by white people with a rope), … Continue reading “Lightfoot slams Teachers Union for “racist” tweet”
2+ Friday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had some choice words for President Donald Trump’s vile and divisive rhetoric he has been spewing on his Twitter account. The Mayor said, “I have two words, one begins with F and it ends with U.” While addressing the media about the weekend’s violent protests and looting, Lightfoot doubled … Continue reading “Mayor Lightfoot doubles down on Trump comments”
1+ With more than 80 people shot, a dozen killed and even more injured during protests, triggered by the murder of George Floyd, the weekend proved to be one of Chicago’s deadliest in recent memory. Now Chicago Bulls legend, Michael Jordan, has released a statement via his manager and spokeswoman Estee Portnoy. “I am deeply … Continue reading “Michael Jordan reacts to the weekend’s protests”
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”
3+ With Pride around the corner, it’s exciting to chat about the importance of representation in media with those who work hardest to make change happen. Daniel Kyri, who plays Darren Ritter on Chicago Fire/ Chicago PD, is one of those people. Daniel Kyri is a Jeff-nominated Chicago-born actor, writer/director, filmmaker, singer, and curator. A … Continue reading “Zoom Interview: Chicago Fire’s Daniel Kyri”
