I-Cubed and Punkvision share new space and ideas

A NEW COLLABORATION has been formed between veteran spot editors and good friends Arturo Cubacub’s I-Cubed and Joe Langenfeld’s Punkvision, when Arturo recently moved into Langenfeld’s office at 832 W. Superior, with producer Kay Frederick and creative partner Sarah Weis.

I-Cubed had worked out of River North offices for many years.  The company also produces content. It’s currently engaged in a series called “American Portrait,” about the incredible world’s largest still camera.

It was designed and built by director/DP Dennis Manarchy with the mission of traveling through America to capture photographs of “cultures in transition.” 

Langenfeld and editor Joe Nudleman moved into the 2,000-sq. ft. Superior Street space last August, after working out of a River West building for the past 10 years.  

One of Langenfeld’s recent projects was editing the latest Cancer Treatment Centers of America commercial, for the Civilian Agency, a client since 2003. Another national spot was for Uno’s Pizza via for The Reilly Group agency and production company Silent Six.  He also edits indie features and docs.

SPIKE LEE’S “CHI-RAQ” gets the Columbia College Cinema Slapdown treatment Feb. 10.  Screening of Lee’s controversial feature will be followed by a heated back-and-forth discussion between the ref, the college’s Ron Falzone vs. Kai El’ Zabar, the first woman editor in the long and storied history of the Chicago Defender, and Columbia associate prof Dan Rybicky.

At Film Row Theatre, 1104 S. Wabash, 7 p.m.  Free and open to all.

POLITICAL STRATEGIST / PRODUCER Carey Lundin’s Citzen Kate” digital mockumentary series has begun the first mile on the 2016 presidential campaign trail with Kate interview candidates and other politicos at the the Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 Iowa caucuses.  The series opens with two newly-cast Chicago actresses in starring roles: Abby Vatterott portrays curious, outgoing “Kate Soglin” and Kimberly Michelle Vaughn is Kate’s cynical best friend, “Alexa Lopez.” 

They are represented, respectively, by Big Mouth Talent and Paonessa Talent Agency.  Casting associate Erin Malysa led the auditions a few weeks ago.

A NEW ADDITION to Chicago’s burgeoning agency scene (1,605 ad, marketing and digital agencies, employing 25,000) is IBM’s new digital agency, which is the result of IBM’s acquisition of Resource/Ammirati, the 35-year old, independent digital/creative agency with somw than 350 employees in Chicago, whose offices are at 400 N. Michigan, and in New York and Columbus.

The object of the acquisition was to build deeper relationships with existing accounts. The agency lists Nationwide, Nestle, Sherwin Williams, Toys “R” Us and White Castle as clients.

FEB. 8 IS THE DEADLINE to enter work in the 15th AICE Award Show, to be held at Navy Pier May 12. A new category is “Docu Style” and a category change is “Digital Content” instead of “Alternative Media.”  Utopic’s Craig Lewandowski was on the national committee that helped rename and redefine the competition’s approach outside of traditional media channels.

DIRECTOR ANTHONY GARTH, a Detroit native, has joined Seed Media Arts for representation outside of the Motor City. His spots, “Pure Michigan,” for Michigan Tourism/Doner and “Born of Choir” for Chrysler/McCann Erickson, were multiple award winners.     He began his career creating music videos for the likes of The White Stripes and Jim Jones and moving up the charts to Eminem and Kid Rock, notes Jessica Rae Connell, Seed’s head of sales.   

NEWS, NEWS, WHEREFORE ART THOU?  We know you’re out there as the Chicago advertising boasts 1,600 ad agencies employing 25,000. (Request our 2016 Media Kit and let the market size we report amaze you.) Send news to ruth@reelchicago.com.