ruthratny, Author at | Reel Chicago - At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production

VH1’s ‘Mob Wives Chicago’ gets set for June premiere

By Ed M. Koziarski Mar 21, 2012

Soon after her VH1 reality hit Mob Wives concluded its first season last summer, executive producer Jennifer Graziano began looking for a way to extend the brand. “I wanted to...

Lewis Lazare

Tim Pontarelli lands at Energy BBDO as group CD

By Lewis Lazare Mar 20, 2012

Tim Pontarelli has landed. After more than a year off that he spent reflecting on life and the world of advertising and freelancing, Pontarelli is signing on at Energ...

Cameras roll this week on ‘Boss’ series, two pilots

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 20, 2012

ROLL THOSE CAMERAS! Television production started last Thursday on Starz’ second season of “Boss” and the pilot of NBC’s “Chicago Fire,” from Dick Wolf P...

Lewis Lazare

‘Believe’ it, Jones/DPC Lottery campaign a winner

By Lewis Lazare Mar 20, 2012

It’s been a long time coming. But recently-appointed Illinois Lottery superintendent Michael Jones has made it happen. Finally, the Lottery’s marketing game plan ...

ProGear gives shooters hands-on with Canon C300

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 18, 2012

Eager to learn about Canon’s new cinema cameras, more than 100 professional motion and still shooters attended ProGear’s informative presentation of the highly touted new Ca...

eBay’s $20-$30mm digital, media business to Digitas

By Mike Morgan Mar 18, 2012

Digitas’ Chicago office has been given eBay’s estimated $20 to $30 million business, after the online retailer heard creative pitches from East and West Coast agencies last ...

Lewis Lazare

DPC’s ‘milestone’ in Lottery ads launches Monday

By Lewis Lazare Mar 16, 2012

It's ready to go. And it will definitely mark a new era in Illinois Lottery advertising. On Monday, the Lottery unveils its first ad campaign from Downtown Partners/Chicag...

Curtain Calls

‘Dialog Across Borders’ at March 27 World Theatre Day

By Kerry Reid Mar 16, 2012

THE LEAGUE OF CHICAGO THEATRES finalizes its plans for celebrating World Theatre Day – Chicago being the first U.S. city to hold one) on Tuesday, March 27 at the Chicago Cultu...

Architecture Film Fest fittingly in Chicago, 4/12-16

By Carey Lundin Mar 16, 2012

If there is one thing Chicago is known for, aside from the blues, our corrupt politicians and the world’s best hot dogs, it’s our architecture. So it’s fitting...

ARU moves into new studio at 625 N. Michigan April 2

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 15, 2012

Come April 2, ARU, the venerable recording studio, will settle into its new home at 625 N. Michigan Ave. after 23 memorable years of occupancy over four floors in the tower of t...

Lewis Lazare

Element 79 produces quality work for La Quinta chain

By Lewis Lazare Mar 15, 2012

It’s rare — increasingly so — to find a TV commercial where everything seems to come together just so. Writing. Casting. Performances. Direction. Editing...

The Wachowskis want to produce big movie here – but…

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 14, 2012

WE HEAR that Lana and Andy Wachowski want to make their next big budget, big name, big effects movie in Chicago. Which makes sense since they operate out of their super se...

Indie Focus

3 talented female filmmakers topline new WIF series

By Ed M. Koziarski Mar 14, 2012

WOMEN IN FILM CHICAGO’S new screening series, “Emerging Talent: Females in Focus,” launches March 19 with films by Mary Kay Cook, Grace McPhillips and Anna Jung. A cocktai...

Lewis Lazare

B&W spot an upbeat approach to home purchases

By Lewis Lazare Mar 14, 2012

Baird & Warner wants to change the focus of discussion in the residential real estate market. On Monday, B&W, the largest independent residential real estate broker in I...

Lewis Lazare

Play a reminder that brands exist to serve customers

By Lewis Lazare Mar 13, 2012

There’s a VERY important marketing message for all major brands in “The Veri**on Play,” a new work now at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. What, you may a...

‘Wedding Crashers’ writer sued over pilot script

by Ed M. Koziarski Mar 13, 2012

What Imran Mukati wanted from Wedding Crashers writer Steve Faber was the script for a TV pilot: a “Sex and the City for guys” inspired by the dating experiences of Mukati a...

Agency SCC’s new space designed for a digital world

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 13, 2012

Musical instruments in the conference room. A 24-foot vintage tavern bar. An in-house studio for client video production and editing. A green rooftop with an a...

NBC5 studios home to ‘Steve Harvey’ show this fall

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 12, 2012

NBC studios have been vacant for all too long, since the departure of Jerry Springer, will come to life this fall with a new syndicated daytime talk show, hosted by veteran TV p...

Curtain Calls

Gorilla Tango buys The Skokie Theatre for $420,000

By Kerry Reid Mar 9, 2012

THE SKOKIE THEATRE HAS BEEN PURCHASED by the Gorilla Tango Theatre, which has been operating on a for-profit basis in an 80-seat black box at 1919 N. Milwaukee in Bucktown since...

Chicago Film Archives sells vintage films this weekend

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 8, 2012

If you’re into collecting old TV shows and films, there’s a bonanza waiting for you. Nancy Watrous’ Chicago Film Archives is having a monster sale this weekend of 18...