WE HEAR … and this is only a rumor, hearsay, unconfirmed talk and all that — BUT it’s being bruited about that Springfield might up the filmmakers’ tax incentive ante to 30% and give it a two-year life span.
We can certainly hope this becomes a reality, as we ? and possibly our legislators — see evidence of how our neighboring states are benefiting from their excellent incentives and how those advances could happen here, too.
ANOTHER INTERESTING TIDBIT we ear is that the producers of the “Batman” franchise are looking into construction for a possible “Batman III” to be shot, again, in the Windy City. (See the story above about Jerry Vasalotis’ “Batman” fan film.)
SAG’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY GALA Saturday night at Salvage One was a smashing success, with more than 500 beautifully dressed guests in attendance, to the extreme pleasure of SAG executive director
Eileen Willenborg and the hard-working Gala Committee, headed by Steve Spencer,
Chicago native Virginia Madsen, showed up as scheduled, but her brother Michael Madsen was unable to attend. A surprise guest was Harry Lennix, another Chicago native.
Funds raised by the Gala will be shared by the SAG Foundation and the Chicago branch, to be used for the benefit of the membership.
CHANGING TIMES. Towers Productioms named award-winning documentarian and former journalist Peter Marks VP/director of development. He succeeds Melissa Cutlip, who left the company to pursue other interests.
Marks, who’s been with Towers as director of development since January, 2007, will oversee Towers’ creative and business development and client relationships.
Stock footage guru Krista Kilgore runs new Framepool stock house’s Chicago office, only the second U.S. office for the Munich, Germany- based company.
Kilgore, who previously worked for the two biggies, Corbis and Getty Images, says she likes the fact that Framepool is run by filmmakers (like the head of the New York office) and their visual style of attracting business.
Kilgore’s phone number is 312/532-9162.
IPA ELECTIONS for new officers will be held July 17. President Sandy Gordon declined to run for a second term as president and U of I producer Lars Ullberg announced he is a contender for that office.
Ullberg returned to Chicago two years ago after producing in Hollywood for 20 years. Gordon is a non-stop agency producer who frequently works in out-of-town locations.
Meanwhile, IPA plans to hold a party in honor of tax incentives co-sponsor, Rep. Skip Saviano, with a date and place TBA.
A SPECIAL CHICAGO PREVIEW of Steppenwolf Films’ new comedy, “Diminished Capacity,” will screen at the July 1 Midwest Independent Film Festival. Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney directed and Tim Evans was executive producer.
The story is about a man ( Matthew Broderick ) suffering from memory loss who takes a trip to a memorabilia expo with his Alzheimer’s-impaired relative ( Alan Alda) and his high school flame ( Virginia Madsen ), where the trio plans to finalized their scheme to sell a rare baseball card. “SATANIC PANIC,” an ?80s style cult horror film from filmmaker Marc Selz, wrapped production in Rochelle, Ill. It stars Nikki Taylor Melton (Rob Zombie’s “Halloween”).
“Satanic Panic,” Selz’ third feature, had been in and out of production since list summer. Post-production should be completed by September. His previous films are the slasher pics “Rockville Slayer” and “Short Cut Road.”
HERE’S A $PECIAL DEAL from former Chicago rep Evie Silvers for all of you creatives who are contemplating going to the July 30-Aug. 1 LATVFestival.
Says Silvers, who is NATPE’s technology/business development director, “I can offer ReelChicago readers a discounted all- access pass for $625, normally $875,” and it includes Digital Day, Content Industry Forum, Producer’s Pitch Pit and select product showcases, sessions, workshops and screenings.
LATVFestival, at Hollywood’s Highlands and Renaissance hotels brings together nearly 1,000 content creators, agents, studio, network and new media executives to check out what’s new, exciting and viable.
Use ReelChicago’s special all-access discount code,TVF32N, when you register at
