THE FOUNDATION post house expanded this week by moving into a full, 6,000-sq. ft. floor with seven editing rooms at 200 E. Ohio, from 2,800-sq. ft. and four editing rooms in the same building. That’s mighty impressive for being in business for just 18 months.
Owned by ace editor James Lipetzky and his wife, Samantha Hart The Foundation employs 10.
COLIN COSTELLO’S COMEDY sitcom pilot, “Friends like These,” was picked up by Black Family Channel’s new show, “Pilot Central,” debuting in October or November. BFC head Robert Townsend is talking about redoing the pilot and ordering 10 episodes. Costello is a group CD at Burrell Communications.
TEST PATTERNS is the name of animatics guru Fred Berkover’s new company. It operates within Post Effects enabling Berkover to draw on PE’s special effects expertise. During his 20 years of helming Daily Planet, Berkover pioneered the art of test spots, still going strong among agencies as a proven creative tool.
THE $200 MILLION ARMY ACCOUNT will stay with Leo Burnett until next March to avoid a possible interruption in its advertising during the transition period. A new agency will be named in December. Competing with Burnett are New York agencies BBDO, McCann Erickson, Grey, Ogilvy & Mather and Young & Rubicam.
ELEMENT 79 FILM FESTIVAL anointed three shorts best among 35 agency-wide entries at two SRO screenings last week. Kevin Mulroy and Chris Laubach won top honors for their film, Joe Gray was runner up, and best concept went to Alan Spindle . Broadcast head John Noble started the festival last year “to encourage creativity and keep minds fresh.”
L.A. production companies and local post houses donated a dazzling array of electronic prizes, although Avenue Edit’s soared above all others — a helicopter ride over the city. All 35 participants won honorable mention prizes due to the abundance of gifts.
DONNELL RAWLINGS , co-star/writer for Comedy Central’s “The Dave Chappelle Show” will MC the third annual Chicago Creative Club awards Sept. 29 at the Auditorium Theatre. This year’s theme is “It’s a Tough Town.” The CAC is co-sponsor.
“ELIZABETHTOWN,” the acclaimed new movie by writer/director Cameron Crowe and starring Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom opens the Oct. 6 Chicago International Film Festival at the Chicago Theatre. On Oct. 20, see “The Weather Man,” starring Nicholas Cage, that filmed in Chicago in 2004. Call 312/332-FILM for info.
CELEBRITY SEX THERAPIST Laura Berman will be featured on a new reality TV series, “Sexual Healing,” to air on Showtime. The 9-episode series follows three couples through counseling at the Chicago-based Berman Center, and their “therapeutic dates” around Chicago. Budget is an estimated $350,000.
RESOLUTION DIGITAL STUDIOS INVITES YOU to an Oct. 14 Oktobefest with beer, brats and a band. “It’s an open house for the industry to have some fun and see our new state-of-the-art facilities for the first time,” says sales director Evie Silvers. RSVP to esilvers@RDSChicago.com.
COMMERCIALS TAKE TOP BILLING with six companies working large on Chicago locations this week: Local companies One World, Radar and Komnenich are joined by L.A.’s Tool of North America, Tombo and Thomas Winter Cook.
TWENTY-NINE THEATRE COMPANIES earned 130 2005 Jeff Award nominations in 26 categories. Recipients will be announced at the 37th awards ceremony Nov. 7 at Drury Lane Water Tower Place.
Marriott Theatre was tops with 22 nominations for three productions, followed by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, 13; Steppenwolf Theatre, 11, and Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago, 10. See www.jeffawards.org.
CHICAGO STAGE ACTOR Daniel Yabut makes his big screen debut in a starring role in “Roll Bounce,’ the George Tillman-Bob Teitel feature that filmed here last year. The film hits theatres Sept. 22. Yabut’s professional debut was in Lyric Opera’s “The Magic Flute.” He’s acted in dozens of stage dramas, Shakespeare productions, musicals, and commercials, including a Nike spot for Spike Lee.
CLINT EASTWOOD brings his “Flags of our Fathers,” about the WWII soldiers who raised the flag at Iwo Jimo, to Chicago for eight days in late October, coming from Iceland where it’s now filming. Alas, that’s the only feature, or part thereof, on the horizon. Fortunately, Fox TV’s “Prison Break” series has more than picked up the slack.
REGIS PHILBIN hosts the National Radio Hall of Fame’s 2005 induction ceremony Nov. 5 ? a nice coup by Museum of Broadcast Communications head Bruce Dumont. Inductees are comedy team Abbott & Costello; Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman; ABC News White House correspondent Ann Compton; retired Pittsburgh Steelers color commentator Myron Cope; and the late humorist radio personality Jean Shepherd. Tickets are $500 to the gala at the Renaissance Hotel; festivities start at 6 p.m., broadcast at 9.
CALL MARIA KLUCHENEK, ReelChicago’s advertising director, at 312/933-3582 to expertly help you get your ad program started. Kluchenek is a knowledgable sales professional with experience in all phases of film production. Ask about new ad sizes and placement.
