It’s baaack! IFP’s Oct. 10-11 Filmmakers Conference

NEWLY INVIGORATED IFP/CHICAGO has announced its ever-popular and helpful two-day Filmmakers Conference, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11, offering screenings, panels, case studies, notable panels and guest speakers, at Columbia College’s Film Row Cinema.

Sessions include: “Breaking In and Making it: Starting Up and Getting Ahead in the Illinois Production Industry;” “Producing the Documentary Series;” “Meet the Programmers;” “Show Me the Money: Filmmakers Talk Financing;” “Women at the Helm;” “Fair Use & Copyright for Filmmakers;” “Web Series Production” and many others.

Among the knowledgable panelists are Mike Schmiedeler, Yvonne Welborn, Danny Alpert, Gordon Quinn, Justine Nagan, Bob Hercules, Greg Jacobs, Kenneth Yoder, Andrew Spyrison, Troy Pryor and many others.

IFP’s new managing director is producer Julie Mynatt.

Passes are $75 for members, $150 for non-members and $24 for students and may be purchased here.

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the 2014 AICE Camp Kuleshov Chicago trailer editing contest, Aaron Porzel of Optimus, was promoted to editor from assistant.  “He earned his promotion “through great client work, a high level of skill and endless enthusiasm” says Optimus president Tom Duff. 

Porzel started as an intern with Optimus while still in high school and attended an accelerated program at Full Sail University where he earned his BA. He joined Optimus in 2007, working his way up from operations to trainee, assistant editor and most recently, senior assistant.

FILMHELLENES, THE 4th ANNUAL GREEK FILM FESTIVAL Oct. 2-6 is back after skipping last year’s event, with FilmHellenes president Art Andros welcoming festival-goers on opening night at the Skokie Theatre, where some 30 features and shorts will screen over the 4-day fest.

THE NEW ANIMATED COMEDY “THE BOXTROLLS” from LAIKA Studios will have a special screening here, Oct. 18, at the Music Box Theatre, 12:30-2:30 p.m. in advance of Facets 31st annual Chicago International Film Festival, Oct. 24-Nov. 2.

LAIKA Studio’s producer Mike Shapiro will conduct a 2-hour workshop after the screening to demonstrate the magic of stop motion animation. You can buy tickets here

The Children’s festival will showcase 29-plus films from 39 countries selected from over 3,000 entries, plus workshops, special tributes and guests and more. 

One of the highlights is a Tribute to Academy Animation, featuring winners of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences award for the best animated short spanning the entire 20th century.

It takes place at Facets, the Music Box Theatre, Alliance Francais and the Logan Center for the Arts.

TWO NATIONAL TV PERSONALITIES who previously were local TV stars will host the Nov. 1 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards: Tamron Hall, a co-host on the “Today Show,” who spent 10 years at Fox/32 Chicago and Ginger Zee, meteorologist on “Good Morning, America.” They’ll be joined by Chicago native, actor/writer and now director Lorenz Tate (“House of Lies,” “Blue Bloods”).

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