JOE KEEFE of Long Tail Media Group is producing fridaynitebYtes, a streaming comedy sketch series targeted to tween-and-teen internet users. The members contribute their sketch ideas and a professional cast and crew creates a show based on their ideas.
“This is where young members can contribute to upcoming episodes and learn comedy and production skills,” says Keefe, the founding executive producer of Second City Com he says.
Keefe hopes to expand the site and sees it as the anchor show of a possible internet broadcast company.
Comedy is second nature to Keefe, having spent 18 years at The Second City, as founder/executive producer for Second City Communications, the production arm of Second City theatres. He also created and was executive producer of the syndicated comedy series, “The Sports Bar.”
He’s a Glencoe village trustee and teaches broadcasting at Columbia College.
JOSÉ CARLOS GOMEZ of Skibo Films is directing the coming-of-age feature “Strawberry Summer” this August. He describes it as “Wild Things” meets “Beautiful Creatures” and “The Virgin Suicides.”
Gomez directed last year’s thriller Plastic for Laura Locascio’s Front Porch Productions Films. Jason Patfield of BNP Productions is producing “Strawberry Summer.”
STEPHEN FOLKER is developing a featuring-length version of the Iowa comedy short The Mustache Movie. The short’s mostly-Chicago crew includes DP Chris McAlister, gaffer Tim Tavano, and sound engineer Ruben Rosario.
Folker screens the short in The Mustache Bash, a fundraiser for the feature, Saturday, March 19, 7-9 p.m. at the Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, 2nd floor, Davenport, Iowa. $6, $5 with mustache.
RYAN MILLER of TSS has wrapped production on the dystopian sci-fi noir “A City to Make Me,” about a data miner caught in a war between dissidents and the ruling business elite in 2035.
Lance Lee Davis, Theresa Teng, Noah Noelle, and Noelle Lynn star. Jason Chapman is producer. Matt Hughes shot on the RED. James Taylor of Swayzak/Lugano Fell is scoring.
GAVIN JAMES is in post-production on the L.A. noir “Footsteps,” starring Brendan Sexton III (“Boys Don’t Cry”) as a man who returns home to care for his father and unlocks dark secrets of his family’s past.
With Marshall Bell, Amy Ferguson, Peter McRobbie and Kathleen York. Taylor Cohen, Keith Heller and Flo Speakman are producers. James was assistant producer of Robert Shallcross’s 2003 “Uncle Nino.”
SCOTT FEIGEN enters the second leg of production March 26 on his short psychological thriller “Melody and the Old Sock.” Karisa Bruin, Monica Szaflik and Carmine Perrelli star. DP is Delaney Teichler. SFX by Feigen’s co-executive producer Terry Jun.
FESTIVAL AND OTHER DEADLINES: March 14 is the submission deadline for Wits End Shorts’ Chicago Short Comedy Video and Film Festival, to be held this July.
March 15 is the final call for the 18th Annual Chicago Underground Film Festival to take place June 2-9, 2011 at the Gene Siskel Film Center. See cuff.org
The IFP 2011 Production Fund is seeking submissions for its annual grant worth $100,000 worth of in-kind goods and services. See 2011 Production Fund Application
