The reigning IRB Rugby World Cup Champion, the internationally heralded New Zealand All Blacks, will play their first US match in 24 years against the USA Rugby Men’s Eagles, Nov. 1 in Soldier Field.
Coverage of the All Blacks team leading up to highly anticipated match will be covered by boutique production company Original Six Media for their client, insurance giant AIG.
This assignment follows Original Six’ previously produced multiple videos about the All Blacks for AIG’s websites and posting on the USA Rugby YouTube channel.
Still, it’s an auspicious project to kick off the first anniversary of Original Six that consolidates the production experience of creative director Chad Stum; award-winning producer Lindsey Swift, who returned to Chicago after seven years in LA; assistant producer Blaire Knight-Graves, moving over from New Chapter Productions, and production associate and IT administrator Nick Severson.
The other two members are founder CEO/Michael Romano, former head of Romano Bros. spirits distribution company before selling it in 2002 and his daughter, Florence Ann Romano, who recently came aboard as business development director, with a business background and training in theatre and acting.
Multi-faceted Stum is a director, cinematographer – it’s all his photography on their website, editor and classically trained jazz musician. His previous experience includes heading production for Suite Partners, which ran the Craftsman Experience at the recently shuttered Kenmore Studios.
It was Stum’s web footage that sold a New York PR company on hiring Original Six for their client,Velocity Technology Solutions for a big project before the company was even asked for its resume and reels.
“The project happened very quickly,” Stum says. “The week after we were hired we were in New York working at a Brooklyn hospital.”
Swift produced and Stum directed and shot a five-minute pitch on the technology provided by Velocity’s cloud solution for sharing medical information.
Recently, Original Six shot a commercial in Chicago for Rosemont-based World Kitchen cookware maker that announced the opening of a New England CorningWare, Corelle & More cookware store, now airing throughout the area.
The Original Six company name, which should sound familiar to serious hockey fans, was Severson’s contribution last year after the newly minted company had produced videos for a USA Hockey event called Pond Hockey. One of the pieces became the most-watched Video on USA Hockey’s YouTube channel.
“I learned that the NHL started with only six teams and they were known for a long time as ‘the Original Six,’” Severson says. “Everyone agreed it was perfect for the six of us – especially Michael and Florence. They’re big hockey fans.”
Original Six’ 1,800-sq. ft. loft office is located at 213 W. Institute Place.
