DON’T EXPECT THE DGA to fill the executive director’s position in the Chicago office anytime soon – if at all. The LA-based DGA has told ReelChicago that “no hiring decisions have been made” to fill the vacancy left two months ago when Dan Moore retired after 28 years.
The more likely scenario is that the DGA will not continue to maintain a Chicago office and DGA officials from LA will visit Chicago as the need arises.“We will let you know as soon as we’ve got anything to announce,” the DGA spokesperson said.
LA ACTING COACH Joseph Pearlman of the Pearlman Acting Academy on Tuesday, July 2, conducts a unique class for actors called Launch Your Own Career and Reach Your Oscar Potential,” at the Den Theatre at 1333 N. Milwaukee, from noon to 3:30 p.m.
“I work with actors on how to audition for all the different genres of material and how to compete for these roles via video audition,” says Pearlman, a native Chicagoan, who works with clients like Zooey Eschanel, Julian Sands and Skylar Grey. “I* also coach presenters for major awards ceremonies,” he says.
His Chicago workshop, accommodating a small group of actors “is the one I hold exclusively every year for SAG-AFTRA’s summer conservatory in LA.,” Pearlman adds. Some openings available. For more information, click here.
THE LONE CHICAGO WINNER at the 2014 Cannes Lions International Festival was DDB Chicago. It won two Bronze Lions for its Skittles candy client’s campaign featuring a pet cloud that rains Skittles and the other for a “Smile” spot. The weeklong advertising festival, attracting thousands of entries and people from all over the world ended last Sunday.
CHICAGO FILMMAKERS hired Josh Mabe as its new program director, replacing Becky Stochetti, who left in March to become community engagement manager for Kartemquin Films. Mabe is a cofounder of Nightingale Cinema and a longtime contributor to Cine-File. He replaces program director.
NEW AT TWO BY FOUR is Bill Lindsey as a creative director, working closely with CD Adam VonOhlen and leading the the copy staff in the agency’s Chicago and Chattanooga, Tenn. offices. He’d spent 11 years as a creative at Draftfcb and was freelancing for the past two years. Earlier, Lindsey worked at DDB and Y&R.
RECENT AGENCY LAYOFFS have reportedly occurred most recently at two big agencies. Twenty to 25 staffers were reportedly laid off at Razorfish Chicago, “representing less than 3% of our global headcount” … realignment made “in order to accommodate the evolving needs of our clients,” an internal memo said.
At Leo Burnett, “less than 10% of the staff” was downsized. The reason was undoubtedly Burnett’s loss of its long-term McDonald’s account in April to Toronto-based Cossette, which handles McDonald’s Canadian business.
THIS WEEK IS A SNORE compared to last week’s heavy schedule of commercial shoots in city and suburbs. They included:Orchard Productions for Pampered Chef shooting in Addison. LA-based Caviar did a three-day Walmart shoot and Independent Media spent two days on Church’s Chicken. Backyard helmed a job for US Bank on location and Essanay stages, while Empire/Luna carpeting was on location.
AFTER 20 YEARS as chairman of the National Radio Hall of Fame, founder Bruce Dumont has stepped down, to be succeeded by LA-based Kraig Kitchin, copresident of Sound Mind, Inc. The Radio Hall of Fame will be held in LA in November.
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