THE AICE CHICAGO’S BEST AWARD went to Optimus’ Craig Lewandowski for a spot for Cricket Wireless from Element 79, at the gala national AICE Awards Show held Thursday night at the Field Museum. The show was the 9th annual competition honoring creative excellence in editorial, design and visual effects.
Alas, Lewandowski was the sole Chicago winner among the 23 awardees, although the work of six local editors made it into the finals.
The top AICE winners were Outside Edit + Design, New York, with four awards; Rooster Post Productions, Toronto, came in next with three; Peep Show, also New York, had two.
FOX TV EXECUTIVES on “Ride Along,” the 12-episode series that will shoot in Chicago, will be in Chicago Monday and Tuesday to check out facilities for offices, stages and equipment. The series is expected to start shooting in early July.
TAKING NAMES. Former Film & Tape Works DP Bob Cundari will join Bosco Productions as producer/studio manager in June, bringing 20 years experience to his new post? Luke Palermo is the newly elected president of NATAS/Midwest, succeeding Barbara Williams Perry, effective June 15. Palermo has taught at Columbia College for more than 25 years.
Amanda Walton, former DDB business manager and Midwest sales manager at DG Fastchannel, joined Protokulture ? A new visual effects supervisor for Optimus is Flame artist Paul Rosckes, who spent several years at Avenue Edit as a visual effects designer and worked freelance after the company closed two years ago.
JACKIE CHAN WILL BE HERE with his 12-year old co-star Jaden Smith May 26 at the AMC River East in conjunction with a special preview of Columbia Pictures’ “The Karate Kid,” prior to its national June 11 release.
Illinois Street outside of the theatre will be blocked off for a public Red Carpet with Chan, Smith and other special guests, and a “Karate Kid” street festival, with martial arts demonstrations and performances, a Chinese dragon and Lion Dancers and more.
The updated version of the 1980’s “Karate Kid” is set in Beijing, China and borrows elements of the original plot wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.
