ABC 7 HIRED TWO DAYTIME PROS to create and oversee a new post-Oprah live, local morning show to originate from Ch. 7′ State Street studios.
Heading the production team of tentatively titled show, “Morning Rush,” are two producers with extensive experience in live, daytime television. Executive producer is Marlaine Selip, former EP of Ch. 5’s “In the Loop with iVillage,” supervising producer of “The Montel Williams Show, EP of “Donahue” and “The John Walsh Show.”
Cindy Patrasso, a 35-year veteran of Chicago TV, is supervising producer, the position she had on “In the Loop,” reports Robert Feder in his daily media blog.
Patrasso is also known as a former president of Orbis Broadcast Group and VP/EP of both Intersport Television and Dillon Smith Communications.
SHOOTING HERE at various city locations for three days is “The Vow,” a romantic drama starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Tatum is no stranger to the city, having worked on Ron Howard’s “The Dilemma” last June and Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” in 2008.
Also starring are Jessica Lange, Scott Speed man and Sam Neil. The story is about “a young woman who loses all recent memory in a car accident and struggles to rebuild her identity, while her husband tries to win her heart for the second time.”
OPRAH MOVES TO THE BIG SCREEN in a starlit comedy that also stars Meryl Street and Sandra Bullock and it should appeal to all “Sex and the City” TV series and movie fans as the untitled film will be written and directed by Michael Patrick King. King was executive producer on the HBO series and he wrote and directed the two “Sex and the City” features.
“They’re all unique,” King says of the three mega stars, “and the idea of writing parts that three strong women will play is such a challenge. Their body of work is beyond reproach. It’s also appealing to craft a character for Oprah to come back and play that’s not Oprah.”
WEB DESIGN FIRM MIGHTYBYTES moved to fresh new Andersonville space, a few blocks from where the award-winning company spent the last 10 of its 12 years in business. New address is 5347 N. Clark, second floor. Phone remains the same at 773/561-7529.
SOUNDS LIKE THE DENNIS FARINA FILM, “The Last Rites of Joe May,” filmed here late last fall, is nearing completion. Cerny American Creative’s Craig Lee is mixing sound for the low-budget Steppenwolf Film. Written and directed by Joe Maggio, it’s about Joe May, an aging and ailing short money hustler who’s always looking for the next big score or adventure around the corner.
A NEW ADDITION to Trio Video’s growing all-HD fleet is 48-ft. Tempo, a smaller footprint than its other units but, notes project manager Roger Redensek. “Like the rest of our fleet, Tempo is a multi-format facility and capable of all production requirements, including major sports and entertainment events. It will fit into the tighter spots at many of our smaller venues”
Trio Video’s trucks are in demand by stations and networks covering sports events and for just about every major music or comedy festival in North America.
THE EMMYS’ HIGHEST HONOR will go to Columbia College at the Emmy Awards Nov. 6 at Park West. The school will receive the award for outstanding commitment to the Chicago Midwest Chapter of NATAS and Chicago media arts organizations.
Besides NATAS, Columbia has a long history of supporting local media arts organizations, including the Chicago International Film Festival Sherwood Community Music School, Community Media Workshop and dozens of other organizations.
Then, on Nov. 9, Columbia College will give its 8th annual Impact Award to Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson, as Chicagoans who have made an outstanding impact on the arts, entertainment and media industries. This is the Impact Award’s first year in Chicago after seven previous awards ceremonies in L.A. See details in Screenings and Events.