REELSCENE: PRODUCTION NEWS

WATCH FOR “SAUDI ARABIA, a Complicated Ally,” a special presentation of A&E to run almost immediately from Kurtis Productions. Bill Kurtis, Post Effects’ producers Scott Jacobs and Mitch Apley journeyed to Saudi Arabia last fall to tape the special. It will continue to air throughout the conflict. Michael Harvey was supervising editor, David Fortney edited; David Huizenga scored.

THE PET LOVER BAND issued its first CD of 11 original rock songs on the B&B Towing Label. The songs were were written by band members Doug Raffety lead guitarist and vocals, and guitarist Brian Leitner, Kurtis sound desiger/mixer. Other band members are Kurtis music director David Huizenga, keyboards and vocals, bassist John Skender and drummer Gregg Potter.

The CD came together over a six-to-eight month period. “We recorded the basic tracks at Stateville, a rehearsal studio in Downers Grove,” Huizenga said. Final mix at the Vision Factory in St. Louis, “where a friend works on a Fairlight system, and we finished on Brian’s Audiovision workstation.”

SPOT DIRECTOR DAVID ROSEN of Ben Moon reports having been very busy “and I even directed a job for a Chicago agency,” he said, “in Toronto.” (Rosen notes in the past two years he’s shot three days in Chicago.)

Ben Moon’s new Chicago rep Jack Lewis sold the Glade/FCB job. It called for a big set, five on-camera and serious special effects. FCB producer was Heather Haley, a former CD at the agency. Rosen is produced through Compulsive Films of New York.

BILLY CORRIGAN of Smashing Pumpkins fame and now of the band Zwan, shot the music video for his new song, “Lyric.” It was directed by Bruce Dickson of A Few Miles North Productions of Venice, Cal., produced by former Chicagoan Kevin Hinds and locally, Al Nolan-Cohn was location manager.

The video follows a procession of people (many of whom won a Q101 contest to appear in the video) as they make their way through residential North Side neighborhoods over to the Metro nightclub. They carry signs proclaiming “Love,” “Smile,” “Believe,” although Cohn said the song was not political

The CFO’s Rich Moskal was able to close off Clark St., at Waveland and Grace ? this on St. Patrick’s Day with a parade tootling close by. The procession ended up at Belmont Harbor with the marchers looking south to the skyline. “It was a nice show by the city,” Cohn said.