The Tuesday, May 18 auction of Film & Tape Works will include the auctioning one of the 30-year old company’s most important asset: its client list.
Inspection of the equipment takes place on Monday, May 17, at FTW, 237 E. Ontario, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Tuesday auction starts at 10:30 a.m. and will be held in the studio and online.
Auctioneer is Joseph Finn Co. of Boston, which is no stranger to Chicago, having handled the assets sale of most of the companies that have gone out of business in the past nine years.
All items will be sold by catalog from the premises. Prospective buyers are invited to inspect the equipment prior to the sale. Terms are 25% deposit by cash, certified check, or bank letter honoring payment with uncertified checks.
Over the years, FTW, owned and operated by Jim Mahoney and his former wife, Kari Blunda, spent more than $10 million on gear, Blunda says.
“The important things we will sell at auction are the Spirit Film-to-Tape transfer with DaVinci Color Corrector, five video edit suites, four of which are HD and the audio room”
Field gear includes an HD camera, two Beta SP cameras and four studio cameras; HD and SD switchers, an audio mixer, equipment racks and a DVD duplication tower.
“Of course, there will be lots of lighting equipment and support gear to sell,” she adds.
Furnishings also are included in the sale: conference tables and chairs, edit chairs, consoles, studio drapes, lunch room tables, desks, a computer network system, Executone phone system, scenic shop tools and a studio kitchen set.
And don’t forget that client list. Blunda says it contains contact names and phone numbers of local and national advertising, corporate and TV show clients of the past five years.
