“Shameless” and spots shoot here all next week

NBC’S CHICAGO-SET “SHAMELESS” will have two units filming around the city for a full five days starting next Monday, Aug. 25, for the sixth season of the comedy series about the twisted Gallagher family, headed by single father Frank (William C. Macy). 

Each of the two units will have a 50-plus crew and one unit will consist entirely of local Cameramen’s 600 and Local 476 members, according to Brad Matthys, Local 476 president.  Demetra Diamantopoulous is the show’s Chicago UPM.  Equipment rental from Essanay Studio and Lighting.

Many of the Chicago “Shameless” crew feel it’s like a rerun of the many years they spent on “ER,” working for the A-list team of executive producer/showrunner John Wells and producer Chris Chulack of both hit shows.

“ER,” also set in Chicago, filmed here quarterly for all of its 15 years on prime time, winning a record 134 Emmys along the way.

ON THE SPOT SCENE.  Another jammed packed week of commercial shoots starts Monday, Aug. 25 at locations around the city. The include: Traveling Picture Show shooting for Sleepy’s Mattresses; Backyard Productions for Fiat and Wal-Mart in Grand Haven, Mich.; Radical Media for Mutual of Omaha; former Chicago-based Foundation Content shooting stills for Payless Shoes on Essanay’s small stage and STORY on Essanay’s big stage for a Dreml tools commercial.

NAMES IN THE NEWS. At McGarryBowen, three executive producers were named to new positions. Steve Ross is now managing director of the newly formed content production division, while Mark Olson and Marianne Newton are directors of content production …

Former agency producer Michael Gabriele joined Daily Planet as producer/director … McDonald’s hired Julia Vander Ploeg as its first VP/digital in the US … Meanwhile, The Whitehouse producer Dan Bryant left the post house.  No successor named so far.

Roy Skillicorn’s Seed Media Arts signed new East and West Coast reps: Perry Schaffer and Corey Rogers in New York and Mark Andrews in LA.

“MADZILLA’S” BLUE CARPET PREMIERE Aug. 28 at the Music Box is an invitation-only evening for all the good people who donated their talent, time and services to Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill 5-uear old Maddex’ wish to star in his own Godzilla movie.

Director Jonathan Becker enlisted Mo Wagdy, the unofficial godfather of the indie film community, and the only producer he knew who could pull off a big budget film that had everything except the budget.

A PARTY FOR ACTOR NELSON ELLIS (“True Blood”) last night celebrated the Chicago native’s booming Hollywood career.  Ellis co-stars in the James Brown biopic, “Get on Up,” as Bobby Burdy, Brown’s longtime friend and musical collaborator. “Actors work hard and wait for years to be cast in a role of this caliber,” Ellis says.  Ellis and “Get on Up” cast mates can be seen on the cover of Ebony magazine’s September issue. “That makes all our hard work even more meaningful,” he adds.

The Reel takes a hiatus next week, but don’t let that stop you from sending your news to ruth@reelchicago.com. Unless there’s breaking news next week, we’ll see you Tuesday after Labor Day.