A “PUBLIC ENEMIES” PRESS JUNKET by Universal Studios is scheduled for June 18 in Chicago, with the conference to be held at Union Station, we hear. A full complement of stars, including Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, are expected. There’s also buzz about a possible Chicago premiere of the movie, which is as it should be, right?
“Public Enemies” spent $25 million in Chicago and other parts of the state last year, filming the blockbuster crime thriller directed by Chicago native Michael Mann.
ATTORNEY RANDY CRUMP, who leads the annual Black Perspectives for the Chicago International Film Festival, is co-producing the Parkway Picture Show that brings African American movies and filmmakers to Bronzeville.
This Friday, June 12, the directorial debut of actor John Marshall Jones’ comedy, “The Guest of Central Park” will premiere at the historic Parkway Ballroom at 4455 S. King Drive. Jones will be present to talk about the movie with media personality Bonnie DeShong. Cash bar opens at 6 p.m..
TO HEAD ITS NEW INTERACTIVE DIVISION, Burrell Communications named Don Moore president, former VP/multicultural sales for The Citadel (formerly ABC) Radio Network. He also worked with Clear Channel Communications and Johnson & Johnson.
CHICAGO SCREENWRITERS NETWORK has completed the first round of judging for its first screenwriters contest, moving selected scripts into the semifinals. Winners are expected to be announced in August.
VAGABOND AUDIO, the company owned engineer Drew Weir and executive producer and wife Rise Sanders, hit the five-year business mark May 28.
The three-person audio boutique has done exceptionally well since opening in 2004, working for a wealth of agencies, production houses, corporations, non-profits and long form producers.
The couple met when Weir was an engineer at now-defunct NuWorld editorial and Sanders wrote/produced documentaries for Towers Producers. “Drew said he always wanted to go into business for himself,” recalls Sanders. The couple will be married eight years this summer.
THE ASPIRING FILMMAKERS BOOT CAMP goes to Detroit June 12-14m led by producer Larry Meistrich (Oscar-winning “Sling Blade”) and best-selling Detroit author and screenwriter Mitch Albom (“Tuesdays with Morrie”)
Hosted by the Michigan Production Alliance and designed by industry leaders, the workshop culminates June 14, with a one-on-one pitch session for financing and/on or production consideration.
CHICAGO’S TALENT POOL will be enhanced by the first-ever Chicago High School for the Performing Arts, called ChiArts at 32nd and Calument. Its September opening will 150 freshmen, who will study dance, drama, music and visual arts.
ChiArts is led by Jose Ochoa, the former superintendent of Cultural Arts for Nashville’s Metro Parks and Recreational Department.
TECHNOLOGY GURU and in-demand consultant Gary Adcock, starts his summer North American tour of eight cities, on behalf of the AJA Ki Pro Worldwide Roadshow, demonstrating Ki Pro, the latest innovation in workflow enhancing technology.
Adcock is a principal of Studio37, an HD and film consultancy, and has been technical chair of NAB’s Post Production for HD Solutions, and Director of Photography Conference, since 2007.
SHOOT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL! is a three-day intensive, hands-on workshop being held in Waukegan for the first time. It’s being taught by experts Man-Sung Son, DP, of SMS Productions, DP Don Winter and screenwriter Martha-Shaifer-Hartel.
The workshop is open to students and adults and will be held at Bowen Park in Waukegan.
THE BIG WINNERS of the June 9 MoMA show in New York — coming to Chicago in November — were all bicoastal companies, led by MJZ, recipient of 10 honors. Biscuit Filmworks received eight honors and Anonymous Content five.
MJZ’ director Tom Kunz was the show’s most awarded director with four honors, including Advertising Excellence/International.
Eight agencies took multiple honors, but no Chicago agency was among them, not even Leo Burnett, the city’s most prolific contest entrant and frequent winner.
WORD FROM THE FRENCH RIVIERA: The 56th Cannes Lion ad festival noted a nearly 20% drop in entries from 2008’s record breaking year.
Still, the festival has no reason to complain. For the June 21-27, 2009 event, it received 22,652 entries from 86 countries competing for the coveted Lions.
