For more than four decades, Chicago Studio City (CSC) has stood as one of the most enduring and influential production hubs in the Midwest. The family-run operation has helped define the visual identity of Chicago on screens around the world.
Today, with expanded film tax incentives making Illinois one of the most production-friendly states in the country, CSC is prepared to remain a cornerstone of Illinois film production for decades to come.
The studio recently completed its largest expansion ever, adding more than 200,000 square feet of new stages and support space. With a total of eight soundstages, it is a major step forward for CSC and for the state’s production infrastructure as a whole.
What began in 1979 as a modest studio founded by veteran gaffer and producer John D. Crededio has evolved into a fully modernized, 13-acre production campus that continues to fuel the city’s growing film industry. Located at 5660 W. Taylor Street, CSC remains one of the rare, independently owned studio campuses in the country. With over 45 years of growth, reinvention, and hands-on leadership from the Crededio family, representing four generations in the Chicago film industry, the studio stands as a living legacy of the city’s production history.
A family legacy rooted in Chicago film history
The Crededio story stretches back nearly a century in Chicago film history. First-generation patriarch Dan Crededio was among the founding members of IATSE Local 476, helping establish the union foundation that still anchors the industry. His son, John D. Crededio (John, Sr.), carried that legacy forward as a respected gaffer, producer, and ultimately the studio’s founder. He built Chicago Studio City alongside his wife, Delores, a hair and makeup artist. John Sr.’s brother Gene was a gaffer, brothers Dan and Ron were electricians, sister Barb was craftservice, sister Kathy was hair & makeup.
The tradition continued into the third generation with John’s sons John Crededio Jr. and Joseph Crededio, both lifelong Local 476 members who now operate the studio.
It extends into the fourth generation with John Jr.’s daughter Stephanie Crededio, who remains active in Illinois production.
Today, more than 40 members of the extended Crededio family work as union crew, creating one of the most substantial and enduring family lineages in Chicago’s production community. With four generations working as gaffers, electricians, producers, and studio operators, the family has shaped Chicago’s production landscape for decades.
Milestones that built a Midwest powerhouse
1979 – Founding:
The original CSC opened at Grand and Western, offering Chicago a new, locally controlled production hub at a key moment in the city’s film resurgence.
1983 – Expansion:
The Crededios purchased the historic Fred Niles Studio that was later sold to Oprah Winfrey for the launch of The Oprah Winfrey Show, forming the earliest foundation of what became Harpo Studios.
1986 – Relocation to Taylor Street:
CSC moved to its current west-side campus, eventually growing to more than 32 acres of stages, offices, and support facilities during a major Chicago production boom.
2001 – Industry adjustment:
After 9/11, CSC scaled operations to align with national production activity, maintaining long-term stability while many studios nationwide closed.
2006 to 2011 – Modernization:
The Crededios reinvested heavily, renovating stages, upgrading power infrastructure, and improving support buildings as the industry rebounded.
2022 – Major expansion:
During the post-COVID production recovery, CSC launched its largest expansion to date, adding more than 200,000 square feet of new state-of-the-art stages and support space. Designed by filmmakers, for filmmakers.
Today:
CSC spans 13 acres with eight soundstages ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 square feet and more than 300,000 square feet of total building space. It remains one of the most robust dedicated production campuses in the Midwest.
Home to iconic film, TV, and commercial productions
Over 45 years, Chicago Studio City has hosted thousands of film, television, and commercial productions. Its credits read like a timeline of Chicago cinema.
To name only a few:
Feature films
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Paramount Pictures)
- Risky Business (Warner Bros.)
- The Untouchables (Paramount Pictures)
- The Package (Warner Bros.)
- My Best Friend’s Wedding (TriStar Pictures)
- Barbershop (MGM)
- Backdraft (Universal Studios)
- Home Alone (1, 2 & 3)
Television
- Prison Break (Fox Television)
- Early Edition (Sony Television)
Commercial work
Hundreds of national and global campaigns for Ford, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, and major agencies across the world.
Many of these productions did more than film in Chicago locations. They built full production ecosystems at CSC, using its stages, offices, storage, and crew-friendly environment for months or years at a time.
A pillar of Illinois’ production industry
CSC’s longevity is matched by its identity as a multigenerational, union-built, union-supported facility. Operated by the Crededio family and rooted in Local 476, the studio is trusted for:
- Strong union collaboration
- A secure, gated campus with 24-hour access
- Purpose-built production infrastructure without mixed-use conflicts
- Consistent hands-on support backed by decades of technical knowledge
With Illinois expanding its film tax incentives, CSC is positioned to support the next wave of features, episodics, and commercial work coming to the state.
A legacy built to last
Chicago Studio City is more than a studio. It is a legacy of Chicago craftsmanship, union pride, and continuous reinvention. From Dan Crededio’s early contributions to Local 476, to John D. Crededio’s founding vision in 1979, to the sweeping expansion of 2022, the studio has played a defining role in helping crews, producers, and storytellers bring their work to life.
As Chicago’s film and television production continues to grow, CSC remains ready for the next chapter, still family-run, still union-strong, and still one of the Midwest’s most trusted homes for production.
For more information, visit chicagostudiocity.net.
ALSO READ:
New details emerge about the SB 1911 tax incentives
