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

Cameras roll on three TV projects here next week

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 8, 2012

BUSINESS HEATS UP NEXT WEEK when cameras start rolling for two pilots and a TV series. Both Dick Wolf’s “Chicago Fire” for NBC Universal and the second season of the Starz...

Lewis Lazare

No surprise: Rosie show returns to New Yawk

By Lewis Lazare Mar 8, 2012

So five months after it all began, the ill-fated “The Rosie Show” looks to be near its end — at least as a Chicago-based production. Rumors first surfaced late Tuesday on ...

Six trends now SOP in the way we do business today

By David Rosen Mar 8, 2012

This is a consolidation of the trends that are now firmly planted in our landscape. It’s a pretty clear that the largest influence on the marketplace has been the internet. It...

Broadcast Museum receives Comcast, NBC/NBC 5 grants

By Mike Morgan Mar 7, 2012

The Museum of Broadcast Communications got its biggest funding boost since Gov. Pat Quinn came through with the $6 million grant that ex-Gov. Blagojevich promised but never deli...

Ch. 11 hosts HMS Media’s PBS pledge month special

By Mike Morgan Mar 7, 2012

WTTW will nationally host and air HMS Media’s Matt Hoffman and Scott Silberstein’s locally produced Pledge Month special over national PBS and Ch. 11 on March 11 at 6:30 p.m...

Lewis Lazare

Mind-boggling bad bank print ad from Leo Burnett

By Lewis Lazare Mar 6, 2012

We feared it could happen. And it has. Leo Burnett/Chicago has bombed yet again in the banking category. What seems like only days (even though it has been yea...

Lily’s ‘Evening of F.A.M.E’ benefits aspiring actors

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 6, 2012

Struggling talent will get a welcome break in advancing their careers mainly through scholarships to the performing arts schools of their choice, thanks to the helping hand exte...

IFO calls for Shortcuts Short Film Contest entries

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 6, 2012

FOR THE 5TH YEAR, the Illinois Film Office is sponsoring its annual Shortcuts Short Film Contest that is open to Illinoisans 18 years old and older. Basic requirements: Al...

Celozzi’s Sam Giancana doc bows Saturday at Siskel

By Ed M. Koziarski Mar 6, 2012

“To me he was an uncle,” Nicholas Celozzi says about Sam Giancana -— his great uncle, actually. “He was a generous man, took care of all his family and a had great...

New directors infuse Radar with international flavor

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 4, 2012

For most of its 12 years in business, Radar integrated production studio’s busy, sole director was co-founder Don Hoeg. Several years ago he was joined by staff dir...

Top TV pros speak at TV Academy Career Day 3/10

By Mike Morgan Mar 3, 2012

TV ACADEMY’S CAREER DAY, Saturday, March 10 will update visual media professionals, TV Academy members and college students on the latest changes in the television industry, s...

Brand alert! Facebook Fanpage to use Timeline format

By Jacob Young Mar 2, 2012

Starting March 30, 2012 all Facebook Fan Pages will be switching over to the Timeline format for personal pages. Is your brand ready? Here are some ways that brands can pr...

Curtain Calls

Tokyo’s Second City to train performers for theatre

By Kerry Reid Mar 1, 2012

SECOND CITY ANNOUNCED their first theater opening outside North America. As first reported February 15 by Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune, the comedy behemoth is joining with...

Lewis Lazare

Ch.2 ratings right behind Ch.7’s dropping numbers

By Lewis Lazare Mar 1, 2012

According to Nielsen’s February sweeps book, local late news ratings competition is tighter than it was a year ago. Though still No. 1, longtime frontrunner ABC-owned WLS...

Whitehouse’s Matt Walsh to Cutters as partner/editor

By Ruth L Ratny Mar 1, 2012

In an a seismic personnel move, The Whitehouse’s A-list editor Matt Walsh, joins Cutters March 1 as a partner/editor. He becomes Cutters Chicago’s tenth editor and the...

Lewis Lazare

Taco Bell’s massive brand revamp is tamer than before

By Lewis Lazare Mar 1, 2012

Looks as if JCP isn’t the only national brand undertaking a major marketing revamp. We can add Taco Bell to the list. Taco Bell’s new TV campaign, just launched, is ti...

Daniel J. Travanti stars in feature development short

By Ed M. Koziarski Feb 29, 2012

An old man that he saw reading The Odyssey in a café set the ball rolling for Richard Cohen. “It was, for me, a striking image,” Cohen says. “The rest just ca...

Talking Pictures Festival place for many local films

By Ed M. Koziarski Feb 29, 2012

Talking Pictures Festival founding directors Ines Sommer and Kathy Berger of Percolator Films are documentarians themselves. Their Beneath the Blindfold, about local and interna...

Lewis Lazare

Doubtful JCP’s new approach connects with audience

By Lewis Lazare Feb 28, 2012

So all you advertising-savvy readers. We’re now taking bets. How long do you think J.C. Penney — oh excuse us, JCP — will stick with this absurdity that is th...

Bridges Media starts new digital video content firm

By Ruth L Ratny Feb 28, 2012

The Cavalry is ready to charge into action as Bridges Media’s entry into interactive video for the web, live events at venues incorporating multiscreen displays, touch screen ...