Ruth L. Ratny Archives · Page 8 of 56

STORY’S McDonald’s spot airs throughout Olympic Games

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 9, 2016

Airing throughout NBC’s 2016 Rio Olympics coverage is McDonald’s new 60-second “better” Chicken McNugget spot, promoting the fast food chain’s decision to remove all ...

Pre-opening party celebrates 22nd Black Harvest Fest

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 5, 2016

Gene Siskel Film Center’s 22nd Black Harvest Film Festival starts with a double-whammy program pre-opening party tonight, Aug. 5 and then rolls on with 50 independent narrativ...

Hollis’ first doc about young hero bows on YouTube

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

Emmy-winning Ben Hollis’ (“Wild Chicago”) first documentary, “One Life, One Love: The Life and Legacy of John Vietnam,” about the late young Uptown rapper, will be ava...

St. John’s short is Blue Whiskey’s Best of Illinois

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

In 2014 23-year old Chicago filmmaker Megan St. John wrote, produced and directed “Broiled,” that last weekend won the Best Illinois Film Award for its depiction of Illinois...

Escape Pod expands with stake in digital company

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

Marketing/advertising agency The Escape Pod has invested in what managing director Norm Billow calls “substantial stake” in digital experience studio Ora Interactive.Founded...

Elevated Films screenings support youth film programs

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 3, 2016

Susie Linker’s last Elevated Films rooftop screening of the season will be the Aug. 11 Chicago premiere of the coming-of-age comedy “Morris from America,” prior to its Aug...

REEL THINGS

Daily named new CCO for both WPP’s Cavalry and Y&R

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 3, 2016

WPP HIRED LEYLA TOUMA DAILEY as chief creative officer presiding over two of its agencies, Cavalry and Y&R, who moved over from Leo Burnett, where she'd been SVP/CD since 20...

Smith’s indie starts filming in Chicago & Michigan

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 1, 2016

The dramedy, “Mercury in Retrograde,” Michael Glover Smith of White City Cinema, filmmaker, author and film studies instructor, starts filming Aug. 4 for 15 days in Ch...

REEL THINGS

DDB’s ECD Davis in new role as CCO/DDB San Francisco

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 1, 2016

DDB’S CHICAGO’S ECD KEVIN DREW DAVIS relocated to the agency’s San Francisco office where he will assume the position of chief creative officer at DDB San Francisco. He jo...

MIFF to screen work of 14 fabulous Female Filmmakers

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 29, 2016

Filmmaker / editor Gail Gilbert’s short film, thriller “Democracy in the Driver’s Seat,” will be one of 14 women-made shorts showcasing at the Midwest Independent Film F...

INDIE MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

First Chicago Film Project starts shooting in August

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 29, 2016

FULL SPECTRUM FEATURES, Eugene Sun Park’s non-profit production company dedicated to diversity in film, will start shooting the romcom feature “Signature Move” in August w...

Mimi Productions shoots local scenes for LA feature

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 27, 2016

Although the “Bad Moms” Hollywood feature — to be theatrically released this Friday, July 29 — is set in Chicago but was filmed in Louisiana-as-Chicago over the winter, ...

REEL THINGS

Epsilon lands $24 mm consolidated Del Monte biz

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 27, 2016

AFTER A FIVE MONTH REVIEW, Dallas-headquartered Epsilon won the estimated $24 million consolidated Del Monte Foods account from three incumbent agencies, to be handled by Epsilo...

Optimus to stay at Grand Ave., amid other changes

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 25, 2016

Speculation as to Optimus’ plans about when or if it would occupy the 38,000-sq. ft. space it had leased in the Wrigley Building, after announcing a November move-in date last...

McDonald’s new Loop HQ builds on historic film site

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 22, 2016

What was once a sprawling 88,000-sq. ft. building, with a storied film history at 1058 W. Washington, will become McDonald’s massive 608,000-sq. ft. Chicago headquarters, when...

INDIE MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

Reality web series seeks next “Great Street Musician”

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 22, 2016

PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN, literally, in the streets of Chicago for a new music-based web reality series, “In Search of the Great American Street Musician” – an “America’s ...