100 GOLFERS from the postproduction industry have signed up to participate in the 15th annual Hummel golf, outing, Monday, Aug. 9 at the Wilmette Golf Club. “That’s a good turnout,” notes Pete DeBenny, one of the organizers of the event whose proceeds go into the non-profit Chicago Post Production Benefit Fund.
Incidentally, one of the foursomes will be the Red Car team, which includes managing director Craig Duncan. At the most recent golf industry event, he shot an amazing 68. Which is virtually par for Duncan who got through school on a golf scholarship.
Hummel tickets are an all-inclusive $175 and golfers get their money’s worth with an all-day open bar, lunch and dinner and terrific raffle prizes, such as flat screen televisions, iPods and sporting event tickets. A ticket is $75 for cocktails and dinner only.
Noon registration, shotgun starts at 1 p.m. at the Wilmette Golf Club, Lake Ave and Harms Road; cocktails, 5:30 p.m., dinner and raffle, 6:30. Still time to reserve a spot.
THE SURPRISE GUEST at the Optimus party Friday was former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa, famously known as the Old Spice Guy internet sensation.
He came out on the “stage” wrapped in a white terry robe and, as expected and to hoots of the crowd, quickly removed it to reveal the taut, muscular chest that made him famous. The sound was terrible so it was impossible to hear what he said, but who cared.
As for the estimated size of the primarily agency crowd — at 6 p.m. the security guards ran out of the 1,500 wristbands given to attendees and the party had still had four more hours to run.
LAWRENCE DAUFENBACH’S RENTAL HOUSE scored a first in Chicago to offer the Element Technic Quasar steroscopic 3D rig. First project: Kevin Cooper’s family comedy, “Shakey,” that starts shooting this month.
ILLUSTRIOUS DOC MAKER KEN BURNS will screen his excerpts from upcoming two-part film, “The Tenth Inning,” the sequel to his film, “Baseball,” and take questions from the audience Thursday, Aug. 19 at the Bank of America Theatre. The event is sponsored by Ch. 11, the PBS outlet for Burns’ films, BoA and Broadway in Chicago. Tickets are $12 for Ch. 11 members, $20 non-members. Call 800-775-2000 to reserve.
WE HEAR that the screen adaptation of author Erik Larson’s historical best-seller, “The Devil in the White City,” is said to be produced by Dreamworks in Chicago next year, although it has not been announced and nor does it appear on IMBD.
The book, about city planner Daniel Burnham and America’s first known serial killer, H.H. Holmes, set in the time of the Columbian World’s Fair, has been in and out of movie studios since 2003. A lot of excitement accompanied the announcement that Tom Cruise’s company bought the rights in 2003. But nothing happened as the projects faded into limbo.
Cruise’s film rights expired in 2004 and Paramount picked it up in 2007. Again nothing. Then, in 2008, director David Fincher (“The Curious case of Benjamin Button”) and screenwriter Eric Roth told reporters they were interested in making the film. Silence thereafter.
Now comes word that sounds like “White City” is alive and casting in New York. Let’s hope this time the long silence is broken and the movie actually happens, here.
GROSSMAN & JACK TALENT, owned by veteran agents Mickey Grossman and Linda Jack, are now settled into their more comfortably configured new offices at 33 W. Grand, after 17 years at 230 E. Ohio St. The new 5,000-sq. ft. office accommodates the talent agency (Grossman for on-camera and Jack for voiceovers), G&J Models, lifestyle models for print, and Agency Galetea for fashion and runway.
The number of agents is now nine, with the addition of on-camera agent Jess Jones, a former freelance agent and casting director, and director of runway Ryan Beshel, who comes from the fashion industry in PR, promotions and brand marketing.
CHANGING TIMES. Two promotions at One at Optimus: Joe Tipre is now a producer and Sarah Slevin, an associate producer. Tipre joined One in 2009 and Slevin in 2007 ? Filmworkers has promoted assistant Tyler Roth to colorist. The NU grad has been with the facility for two years.
NEW SPONSOR for Facet’s 27th Chicago’s International Film Festival Oct. 22-31 is Chicago’s PBS outlet, Ch. 11. Which makes sense, in a way, since the stations carries a staggering 12 hours a day of children’s programming.
While Ch. 11 calls this these daily 12 hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. a “special commitment to children’s content,” I, if I may express a personal opinion here, find that a terrible waste of valuable PBS time.
Surely station management could find general programming to fill some of those hours currently devoted to kids. Better still — it might air locally-made programming, as the station was acclaimed for doing in the past. To make that happen, all a filmmaker has to do is bring a sponsor along.
HIGHLAND PARK NATIVE Brian Friedman brings his lucky star to Macy’s Glamorama fashion show Aug. 13 at the Chicago Theatre. Dancers will groove to his choreography in Material Girl fashions designed by Madonna and her daughter Lourdes.
Friedman has directed Britney Spears, Beyonce and VH1 Divas, been nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards, and judged “So You Think You Can Dance.” Glamorama benefits the local Ronald McDonald House Charities.
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