Director Joe Pytka in Chicago for Hallmark; commercials, pilot, movie dot the scenery

MIGHTY JOE PYTKA, the brilliant, irascible, multi-honored spot director returns to Chicago this week after a long absence to direct Hallmark spots for Leo Burnett.

ALSO SPOTTED?Dennis Manarchy directing Panasonic TV set spots, one of them 103-inches, or a monstrous 8×5-feet and costs $70,000? Digital Kitchen shoots for Target.Both at Essanay.

FOR A MERE $15 aspiring screenwriters can learn about the craft, art and business of screenwriting Nov. 10 from Paul Peditto, one of Chicago’s best teachers. He’s also a Jeff Award-winning playwright and filmmaker.

The Chicago Filipino American Film Festival and 7? Cinema at the Chopin Theatre host the workshop as part of the festival starting Nov. 10 at the Chopin Theatre.

OPRAH will receive still another award, this one the Hollywood Reporter: Leadership in Hollywood salute coming up in its Nov. 26 issue. Needless to say, the issue will be stuffed to the brim with ads from the the celebs who’ve appeared on her show.

SHOOTING STARS. Sony TV’s pilot, “The Beast,” starts shooting here in late November with Patrick Swayze starring as an FBI vetern who trains a new partner, Travis Fimmel, in his psychologically clever style while being pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team. Claire Simon is casting.

Shia LeBeouf stars in the movie “Eagle Eye,” with Michelle Monaghan (“Mission Impossible 3”) shooting here through Nov. 16. The movie reunites him with his “Disturbia” director D.J. Caruso.

The story revolves around a twentysomething slacker and a single mother who are framed as terrorists and forced to become members of a cell with plans to carry out a political assassination.

BRIDGES MEDIA GROUP has launched a digital photography division led by DP Philip Jones to create still photography for print and imagery for motion graphics, animation and web-based projects.

BMG recentlyapromoted John Polk to CEO, formerly creative lead and senior editor, and Christophere Dilillo to COO, from operations manager and producer.

GRAND & NOBLE PRODUCTIONS moved one block south of its former location, from 515 N. Noble across Grand Ave. to 430 N. Noble.

Owner Dan Lombardi says it’s the same size space as before, 2,800 sq. ft., but an entire floor and configured better to give more space to their three editors. G&N has five on staff.