COMMA’S CHRISTMAS PACKAGES. Comma’s Larry Pecorella and Bryan Rheude scored Hallmark’s Christmas spots based on Tschaikovski’s Dance of the Reed Flutes for Burnett creatives Tim Pontarelli and David Harner and producer Bob Harley. And for the second year in a row scored JC Penney’s holiday image spot. Asides: Composer Dave Hutten moved to Comma’s Santa Monica office full-time. Their studio, incidentally, was featured in November’s Interior Design Magazine.
ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE. Luminair’s George Elder was in L.A. directing a commercial with actress Courtney Thorne-Smith (“According to Jim”), the celebrity spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, sponsored by Kellogg’s. Briganti & Associates is Kellogg’s promotional agency. Crew was from L.A.
LAVIN’S LAVISH NEW OFFICE. Despite the state budget crunch, we hear DCEO director Jack Lavin spent an estimated $80,000 for those new offices that usurped the IFO offices of 20 years standing. The reason? The director wanted windows. The taxpayers should’ve kicked in to buy him a photomural with any exterior view his heart desired. At the same time, Brenda Sexton moved from her current small closed-door office into a larger office that’s currently used for training and closer to the staff.
ESSANAY STAGES BUSY. Both of Essanay’s stages are in use for a big Sears/Eicoff shoot promoting Craftsman tools. Production company is EUE Screen Gems of New York ? a name we don’t hear too often anymore in Chicago but should ? Jeff Cooney directing. Two creative groups are involved: Those of Terry O’Sullivan and Judy Rohner; Nancy Gohla produces for both. Cooney brought his executive producer Mikola Shevchek along; Ken Flisek is line producer. Valerie Gobos is EUE’s Midwest rep.
CHICAGO FILMMAKERS’ BIRTHDAY BASH. Chicago’s oldest continuing media arts organization, Chicago Filmmakers, holds its 30th Anniversary Extravaganza at 5243 N. Clark St. with all variety of visual art ? films, videos, performance art, spoken word, film/video installations, live music and food and drink. Films by Animal Charm, Adele Friedman, Chris Sullivan, Heather McAdams, Thomas Comerford, Cindy Moran, Tom Palazzolo, Eric Scholl, Kartemquin Films, Bill Stamets, and Deborah Stratman, among others. Film/video installations by Sandra Binion, Carolyn Faber, and Ines Sommer; live performances by Lou Mallozzi and Robert Metrick.
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