Events uptempo during the second half of April (accelerated no doubt by Mars and Mercury, planets of creativity and communications going direct) also gives us a choice of more than one or two places to go on the same night.
APRIL 19: 48TH HUGO AWARDS will present the Excellence in Advertising Award to Optimus and Kelsey Grammer of Starz’ “Boss,” and speial guest John Mahoney. Hosted by ABC/7 “Windy City Live’s” Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini, at the new Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. Tickets are $100 per person.
APRIL 19: COLUMBIA COLLEGE’S MEDIA GENERATION SHOWCASE is part of the school’s college-wide Industry Night which links graduating students with majors in advertising, marketing communications, art and design, public relations, interactive arts and media and other related disciplines with the Chicago creative community.
Also: Writers Room displaying writing talent. Both at Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 5-9 p.m., followed by an 8-10 p.mreception at the Glass Curtain Gallery. RSVP.
APRIL 20: NATAS’ 2012 SILVER CIRCLE HONORS broadcasters Jorge Barbosa, Marshall Brodien, Jim Disch, Steve Lasker, Norman H. Shapiro, Ed Spray and the Pioneer Award Presentation to Burr Tillstrom, hosted by Bruce DuMont, founder/president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
At the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton, cocktails, 5:30, dinner 6:30 p.m.
APRIL 20: 3rd ANNUAL NEW ART FILM FESTIVAL of 22 locally made indie films by Central Illinois residents takes place in Champaign. The docs, narratives and shorts fall into the categories “Comedies and Tragedies,” “Cultural Camaraderie,” “Human Fragility” and “Science Fiction in Mind.”
Presented by C-U Confidential and sponsored by the Champaign-Urbana Film Society and is part of the Arts Festival organized by the 40 North 88 West arts council. At the Art Theatre, 126 W. Church, Champaign, 4:30 p.m. to midnight.
APRIL 20: NATAS’ 2012 SILVER CIRCLE HONORS broadcasters Jorge Barbosa, Marshall Brodien, Jim Disch, Steve Lasker, Norman H. Shapiro, Ed Spray and the Pioneer Award Presentation to Burr Tillstrom, hosted by Bruce DuMont, founder/president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
At the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton, cocktails, 5:30, dinner 6:30 p.m.
APRIL 21-22: DOCUMENTARY SUMMIT 2012 led by L.A.-based producer Andrew Zinnes, who worked in doc/reality TV and co—author of “The Documentary Filmmakers Handbook,” will cover storytelling from various aspects on Saturday and funding on Sunday with two distributors in attendance.
Among the participants: Kartemquin’s Gordon Quinn; Jon Siskel and Greg Jacobs, Ruth Leitman; Tod Lending; MPG’s Bob Hercules; King is a Fink’s Julie Keck and Jessica King, PBS’ series director Alicia Sams; Groundswell Educational Films’ Jeff Spitz; plus Tim Horsburgh, marketing/social media for Kartemquin; Because Foundation’s Erin Sorenson; social media expert Shuling Yong and intellectual property attorney Thomas Leavens of Leavens, Strand, Glover & Adler LLC.
At Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., $149.
APRIL 21-22: MOFEST7 FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL is two full nights of films, music, creative displays, art galleries and photo exhibits – the only Midwest event that celebrates the talented output of people who work within the film industry.
At the historic Portage theatre, 4050 N. Milwaukee, 6 p.m. Sponsors: AICP/Midwest, Optimus, Essanay Studios & Lighting, Fletcher Camera and Lenses, STORY, Vitamin, RSL vehicle rentals Half Acre Brewery and Binny’s Beverage Depot.
APRIL 25: RAISING FINANCING FOR FEATURES WORKSHOP hosted by filmmaker Stu Pollard (“Ira & Abby), a popular speaker at Sundance Institute, USC IFP and various producers associations, is targeted to indie film producer/filmmakers who are preparing to raise funds from angel investors.
At Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; IFP members, $40; general admissions, $65.
APRIL 25: HOOTENANNY’S SPRING PARTY at its Streeterville editing facility at 230 E. Ohio features Todd Baxter’s fine art photography, food and drink from hot new Bucktown restaurants Big Star (noted for Tex Mex staples) and Belly Shack (a fusion of L.A. and Asian street food cultures) and music by DJ Heaven Malone.
APRIL 25-29: 14th ROGER EBERT’ FILM FESTIVAL of 14 meaningful films, with many special guests in attendance (which is a big part of the event’s fun) plus four provocative panels (e.g. “On Demand: Movies without Theatres,” “The Personal and Political in Film”), a workshop on “Shooting your Short Film” and a special presentation, “The Tree of Life: Making Movies using Scientific Data.”
At the Virginia Theatre, Champaign; festival pass, $125. For the complete Eberfest rundown, click here.
NOW TILL APRIL 26: The 28th Chicago Latino International Film Festival, presents 125 narrative and documentary features from 25 countries, including 15 from the U.S and five Chicago-made films with most of the entries, 30, coming from Spain and 23 directed by women.
APRIL 26: CHICAGO 2012 IMAGE EXPO exclusively for image buyers (designers, art directors, photo editors) of photography, illustration and footage is presented by Visual Connections at Preston Bradley Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington.
An informative 10 a.m. Q&A with a panel of experts, led by copyright attorney Bill McGrath, covers all aspects of sourcing, licensing and using imagery, including copyright and releases. From noon till 6 p.m.: new sourcess of imagery from a wide variety of niche agencies and other buyer-focused organization.
Complimentary lunch, snacks and beverages throughout the day; wine and beer from 4:30pm.
APRIL 27: BEST OF RURAL ROUTE FILM FESTIVAL 2012, a film program showcasing a variety of genres, regions and perspectives about small town life from Milwaukee to Lebanon to Davenport to New Zealand. Presented by and at Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark, 8 p.m.
APRIL 27: THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN, the resort town where many Chicagoans spend their summer, hosts a screening of the World’s Best TV Commercials at the 19th Annual Harbor Country Art Attack Friday, April 27. The 40-minute reel contains award-winners from the 2011 New York Festivals International Advertising Awards competition.
Commercials from Chicago agencies Arc Worldwide Chicago, Leo Burnett, DDB Chicago, Energy BBDO Lápiz USA, Y&R, and in the student category, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, are part of the program.
New York Festivals is owned by Jimmy Smyth, founder/past owner of Optimus, and a resident of New Buffalo, Mich.
At the Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Drive, Three Oaks, 7 p.m.
APRIL 29: OUT OF THE VAULT: “The Spirit of America” screens two archival docs and a student experimental film circa 1964-1967 that reflect the high ritual and drama from religious ceremonies. Presented by Chicago Film Archives and the Chicago Cultural Center, 2 p.m. Free; suggested donation $5.
APRIL 30: NOISEMAKERS ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCH for a new film company and a fundraiser for its “Untitled Natasha Parker Project” feature film – an evening of screening NE short films, including BET Urbanworld competition finalist, Library of Congress 2012 (invitation only),an African movie Oscar nominee and a silent auction and sale of featured art by Dana Todd Pope.
At the Alhambra Palace, 1240 W. Randolph, 6-9 p.m., tickets $25 at the door.
Email your upcoming event info to Ruth@reelchicago.com.
