“Merry Gentlemen” goes theatrical in May

“THE MERRY GENTLEMEN,” the all-Chicago feature that was shot here in 2007, is being distributed theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn Co. May 1 in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles and on May 8 in Boston and San Francisco.

The movie, starring Michael Keaton, also the director, and Kelly MacDonald, was written by Draftfcb creative exec Ron Lazzeretti.    

The story is a mix of suspense, gentle romance and quiet humor; a tale of forgiveness and redemption that blends a hopeful spirit with a surprisingly dark heart.

“EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE,” assures Michigan Film Office director Janet Lockwood in response a windy gust of dire rumors of imminent collapse to the contrary — circulated by rival states, perhaps?

“Michigan is NOT out of money,” she asserts. “We are paying the incentives and sending out checks for 2008 film productions as fast as we can. We are not going to cap nor reduce the incentives.

“We’ve had eight applications in the past two weeks and everything is fine here,” she adds.

CREATIVES MAKE MORE THAN GREAT ADS, they also make music ? and Chicago Recording Company last month began introducing bands comprised of agency staffers and others who work in the creative arts as an after hours event at its studio.

Coming up May 14, CRC introduces three bands to clients: Draftfcb’s The Debauchers, led by Brian Grady ; freelance art director Danny Tica’s band Telekom; and The Handcuff Band of talent agency Grossman & Jack’s Chloe Orwell.

CRC’s own seven-man band, the Green Sheets, is led by engineer Mike Mason.

RECORDING ENGINEER TOM KROL, who closed his TK Audio studio last year, is now operating Level 10 Sound from his Wilmette studio. One of his projects is developing a classical guitar/trumpet project with The Chicago Symphony’s second trumpetist John Hagstrom. We’re performing at a CSO fundraising private party ?Party of Note’ in late May,” Krol informs, “and we’ll be cutting a CD this summer.” His phone is 847/920-9301.