FOR A MAJOR CHEVROLET SHOOT Schumacher Camera brought in the new handheld Arri235 camera at the behest of director/DP Dana Christiansen, shooting for Plum Productions of L.A. Schumacher general manager James Pope likened the 20-hour shoot “to doing a feature in a day.”
Plum Productions filmed a new Chevrolet campaign at many city locations and also had a helicopter picking up aerial city shots. Schumacher also rented two Arri 435s for the shoot.
BILL SHEER’S ASSIGNMENT DESK has a crew in Aruba on “A Current Affair” assignment. The TV show is following the story of the 18-year old girl who went missing while on a class trip to the tropical island.
MAN MARKETING, the agency for Northwest Indiana company that converts ordinary vans into luxury-travel-the-world-over vans, produced a four-spot package that will air regionally later this summer. Simultaneously, a reel of stock footage was produced for local Explorer Van dealers.
Director was Michael Lansu, production manager, Megan Dudzik. DP Joseph Farris shot in HD with his Visions of Light’s Panasonic Varicam camera, Zeiss lenses supplied by Fletcher Chicago. Filming took place at various St. Charles residential and downtown areas.
MINDSIGHT IS GOING STRONGER THAN EVER, says partner Jack Liga now that the company successfully emerged from an old bankruptcy plight. “Our business is the best so far this year in three years,” Liga says. In the mix is “The Farm Report” weekly show that has rented Mindsight’s big 60×70 stage for nearly a year.
MindSight has a full-time staff of 16, including new hires producers Steve Fanizza, formerly freelance, and Susan Malinowski, who’d been with Fox Sports Net. Executive producers Liga and Dan Niccolai, have been partners for 21 years.
EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT over this dream assignment: Videotaping events while aboard a Disney Cruise to Nassau, with a day’s stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and a night at the Grand Floridian hotel in Orlando.
Did we mention all expenses paid for Sound/Video Impressions’ Bill and Sue Holtane, Paul and Lisa Snead and Chris Steward by client At Home America, a direct sales homewares marketer.
At Home’s guests were top salespersons and their families. Footage captured will be edited into two videos: Highlights of cruise events with winners, and a motivational piece to show sales associates how they can win a prize like this.
FIVE TELLY AWARDS went to direct response agency Target.com, and its clients, True Credit and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. All were produced by Shirley Feldmann, directed by Tim Claffey, shot on 24p HD by Sid Lubitsch, and edited by Joe Langenfeld.
For True Credit, the team produced three 60s, testimonials of victims of identity theft or persons struggling to rebuild their credit, shooting in California. Nine cancer survivors and six oncologists were interviewed for the Cancer Treatment Centers four-spot package.
“OUTDOOR INVESTIGATIONS” SERIES from Towers Productions has started airing on the Comcast-owned Outdoor Living Network (OLN). Hosts are Holly Morris, creator of the “Adventure Divas” PBS series and an avid outdoor sportswoman, and Jon Prescott
The 10-episode series runs from now through June 26, when it breaks for the Tour de France bicycle race, and resumes in August. The series has been in production since last November.
Towers supervising producer was Marsha Anderson who collaborated with Bob Schneiger, VP/production. Producers were Amy Martinez, David Garte, Chris Karnak, Scott Alexander, Donna Wilson and Alex Dawson.
Email news of your latest productions to Ruth@ReelChicago.com or to Edk@homesickblues.com. Photos always welcome, too.
