PANAVISION CAMERAS, which returned to Chicago after a 14-year absence last October, has completed its move into a 13,000-sq. ft. facility a block-long building at 1544 W. Carroll.
The company currently has six staffers and general manager Sharon Walker says they are in the process of hiring new employees. It supplied cameras to Fox’ upcoming “ABP” series that will premiere Feb. 6, “Exorcist” and has jobs ahead on a studio feature and commercials.
The new facility “is good size for what we need for a full-service shop here,” Walker says. “Given that Panavision is a global company, we can resource for whatever the needs are, providing optimal service for camera and lens rentals in the Midwest.”
Panavision left Chicago in 2002 after several years of operation and went back to LA. Walker also returned to Panavision in 2015 after spending 13 years with Panavision’s LA headquarters in various roles and five years with the company in Chicago.
AN ADVERTISING FIRST. Agency owner Carol H. Williams has become the first African American female to be inducted in the American Ad Federation’s Hall of Fame in its 67 years of existence.
Her company is the largest independently owned African American advertising and marketing agency in the U.S. She founded Carol H. Williams Advertising in Chicago in 1986, after 13 years at Leo Burnett, during which she became the agency’s first female and first African American VP/creative director.
Headquartered in Oakland, Calif., Carol H. Williams is at 875 N. Michigan in Chicago and also has New York and Detroit offices, as well as strategic global partnerships.
A FIRST TIME OPPORTUNITY for the growing number of local TV production professionals is the Chicago TV Production Meet-Up that’s been organized by “Chicago PD” first AD Tommy Burke and Linda Frothingham’s ChicagoHollywood.com.
The first Meet-Up is Thursday, Jan. 12 at 343 W. Wolf Point Plaza, 46th floor (east of the Merchandise Mart), 7-8:30 p.m. Burke’s short speech will open the free series, followed by Q&A and networking.
Venue capacity is 55 guests, so sign up now to assure your spot at the event.
SHOWTIME’S “SHAMELESS” SERIES has been renewed for an eighth season, assuring that Chicago will continue to host their week-long spring and fall shoots here, hiring 600 local crew members a season and adding film revenues to the local economy.
The series, starring William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum, is the network’s longest-running series and gets stronger each season. Season seven’s last episode soared to Showtime’s highest rating ever. So the chances are very good that we’ll be welcoming “Shameless” here for quite a while.
POST HOUSE STAFFERS! Assemble the work you are proudest of for entry in the 16th annual AICE Awards, deadline, Monday, Feb. 6. These prestigious awards recognize creative and craft excellence in a wide variety of post/audio categories, including the best work from local chapters and a Best of Show winner.
THE CHICAGO LATINO THEATER ALLIANCE was another recipient of 2016 MacArthur Foundation grants. This new organization was awarded $750,000 in support of strengthening the infrastructure for Latino writers and actors in Chicago.
The Alliance, created by the National Museum of Mexican Art, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, and the International Latino Cultural Center, will launch the inaugural Latino Theater Festival in 2017.
Twelve to 15 new plays will be performed downtown and in citywide neighborhoods and parks. It also will provide opportunities for Chicago Public School students to participate in related workshops and educational programs.
WE’RE BAAACK with the 13th year of ReelChicago.com and continuing to seek your news to share with our expanding readership. Email the details to ruth@reelchicago.com. Do it now.
