DRAFT AND FCB WILL MERGE and the combined Interpublic-owned agencies will be called Draft FCB.
Chairman/CEO will be Howard Draft, founder/CEO of his eponymous agency. Jonathan Harries, FCB’s worldwide creative director, becomes worldwide chief creative officer of the new entity.
WHILE THE TRIBUNE REPORTED Steven Spielberg’s biopic of Abraham Lincoln might film here, Reel readers got the scoop back in January.
That’s when an eagle-eyed member of the Springfield Film Commission spotted actor Liam Neeson researching Lincoln’s papers in a library. The SFC promptly called Spielberg’s office and made an appointment to pitch actually filming the Lincoln story in the Land of Lincoln.
SHARP MARK ANDROW OF STORY set a terrific example by being the first producer to utilize the new 20% tax credit for commercials –a spot his company produced for Sears.
Androw is updating the IPA website’s tax calculator to make it easy to see the savings available for your next production.
“SOUNDSTAGE’S” FOURTH SEASON kicks off June 29 with Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation. The show is a collaboration between producer/director Joe Thomas’ HD Ready of St. Charles and WTTW National Productions. Nicolette Ferri produces for WTTW.
COMPOSER/RECORD PRODUCER JIM TULLIO expands his recording studio size with a move to Evanston the end of June. The studio will occupy the entire first floor of a building he purchased at 1224 Washington, and will provide much bigger space for recording bands, he says.
Tullio recently sold his long-time Winnetka home where his recording studio was located.
DENNIS FARINA, Chicago’ s gift to Hollywood, is leaving NBC’s “Law & Order” after two years to take advantage of movie offers.
THE ORBIS BUILDING WAS OFFICIAL SOLD May 23 to Campus Court developers, the same group that purchased Del Hall Video’s property. Campus Court will keep the Orbis building for the time being.
Tenants will lose their parking space when condo construction starts in the parking lot this summer. Vehicle access to the building also will end.
NEW L.A.-MIDWEST REP SIGNINGS: Chris Karabas for Radium ? Marci Miles and Kristina Kovacevic of Reelize Reps for Incubator Films ? Liz Laine Reps for animation/graphics house Nylon Motion. On the other coast, Radar tapped Rich Schafler as its New York rep.
SIGN OF THE TIMES. The Lions International Advertising Festival noted non-traditional categories rose 12.5% in the 2006 June event, while commercials, once the core of the awards, fell 2.7%. Commercial entries make up 4,860 of the 24,862 total entries this year.
DID YOU KNOW … that Chicago has been a location in 1,265 films, TV shows and docs, dating back to the memorable 1887 documentary short, “Corner of Madison and State Streets” … That there are 2,579 festivals in 91 countries, according to Without a Box, the quick ‘n’ easy way to submit films and screenplays to the festivals of your choice.
STEVEN DIAMOND withdrew his candidacy as the leading candidate for SAG’s national executive director, just before a national board meeting to potentially select him.
Problem was, SAG and Diamond, a Santa Clara University law professor, couldn’t agree on salary. SAG assures it’s pleased with the remaining candidates.
FAN MAIL. “I’m always thrilled to receive the latest news through ReelChicago. It’s great to catch up on industry news in my favorite city,” writes producer Sara Caldwell of Amphion Productions, Los Angeles.
