Becky Cattie casting for Towers

FIRST ASSIGNMENT for Towers Productions’ new casting director, Becky Cattie is to find the perfect cast for Towers’ “Housewives of Chicago” reality TV show, currently in development.

Cattie, who moved here from L.A. last summer, has six years experience casting unscripted TV shows, including “Extreme Makeover,” “America’s Got Talent,” “My Fair Wedding,” “10 Years Younger” and “The Simple Life.”

Response to the “Housewives” casting call has been “fantastic,” says Cattie. “I’m sifting through 400 submissions to find the women who have that unique hook that will set ?Chicago Housewives’ apart in this popular TV genre,” she says.

VETERAN AD EXEC RON BESS was appointed North American president of Euro RSCG’s international network of ad agencies. Euro Chicago’s CEO since 2004, Bess will be responsible for the overall profitability and growth of Euro agencies and nearly 3,000 staffers that comprise its network in North America.

Under Bess’ leadership, Euro RSCG Chicago has become one of the city’s fastest-growing agencies and one of the best-performing agencies in the Euro network. Last year, Bess was also named COO of Euro RSCG North America.

DDB SCORED TWICE in the 2009 primetime Emmy nominations. One bid was for a non-broadcast spot, Bud Light’s “Magazine Buyer,” a 2-minute risqu? viral about a man’s decision to buy an X-rated magazine to complement his Bud Light six-pack purchase, leading to all kinds of embarrassment.

Last year DDB/Bud Light’s Bud.tv web/viral entry, “Swear Jar,” won a primetime Emmy, which undoubtedly spurred the agency to enter another non-broadcast “spot.”

DDB’s second nod was for a traditional broadcast spot, Budweiser’s “Circus,” which debuted on the Super Bowl and was directed by Joe Pytka.

SPOT PRODUCTION gets a boost this week by out-of-town company shoots, including those by York Station Films (whose director shot the currently-airing Illinois Lottery spots) for Sears/O&M, and bi-coastal McGuffin Films and @Radical Media, and Utah-based Impatient Cow.

A FULL HOUSE is expected at the Aug. 4 Midwest Independent Film Festival’s free preview of “Hannah Free,” the indie feature produced in Chicago last year by alternative media mogul Tracy Baim and editor/filmmaker Sharon Zurek.

Award-winning Sharon Gless stars in the script by acclaimed Chicago playwright Claudia Allen, the first of Allen’s 30 plays to be filmed. Director was Wendy Jo Carlton making her directorial debut. Filmmakers will be present for post-screening discussion.

“Hannah Free” tells the story of a passionate but thwarted lifelong love affair between independent spirit Hannah and Rachel, the woman/girl she loved growing up in Michigan.

THE AICP AND MWFF have teamed up to present an Advertising Community Short Film Night of mini-movies made by Midwestern commercial and production pros. Submission deadline is July 31 and the winners will screen Oct. 6 at MWFF.

For entry info, see