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Pre-opening party celebrates 22nd Black Harvest Fest

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 5, 2016

Gene Siskel Film Center’s 22nd Black Harvest Film Festival starts with a double-whammy program pre-opening party tonight, Aug. 5 and then rolls on with 50 independent narrativ...

Hollis’ first doc about young hero bows on YouTube

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

Emmy-winning Ben Hollis’ (“Wild Chicago”) first documentary, “One Life, One Love: The Life and Legacy of John Vietnam,” about the late young Uptown rapper, will be ava...

St. John’s short is Blue Whiskey’s Best of Illinois

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

In 2014 23-year old Chicago filmmaker Megan St. John wrote, produced and directed “Broiled,” that last weekend won the Best Illinois Film Award for its depiction of Illinois...

Escape Pod expands with stake in digital company

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2016

Marketing/advertising agency The Escape Pod has invested in what managing director Norm Billow calls “substantial stake” in digital experience studio Ora Interactive.Founded...

Elevated Films screenings support youth film programs

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 3, 2016

Susie Linker’s last Elevated Films rooftop screening of the season will be the Aug. 11 Chicago premiere of the coming-of-age comedy “Morris from America,” prior to its Aug...

Filmmaker Gutiérrez needs sex & wants it known

By Colin Costello Aug 3, 2016

Multi-talented artist, NK Gutiérrez, began her journey as a screenwriter just four years ago when she wrote her first short film “The Last New Year.”Now its Chicago premier...

REEL THINGS

Daily named new CCO for both WPP’s Cavalry and Y&R

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 3, 2016

WPP HIRED LEYLA TOUMA DAILEY as chief creative officer presiding over two of its agencies, Cavalry and Y&R, who moved over from Leo Burnett, where she'd been SVP/CD since 20...

Chicago Digital Media Fund grantees’ work to screen

By Mike Morgan Aug 1, 2016

Seven completed projects funded by the 2015 Chicago Digital Media Production Fund of $100,000 in grants from the Vogal Fund, administered by Chicago Filmmakers, will screen at t...

Smith’s indie starts filming in Chicago & Michigan

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 1, 2016

The dramedy, “Mercury in Retrograde,” Michael Glover Smith of White City Cinema, filmmaker, author and film studies instructor, starts filming Aug. 4 for 15 days in Ch...

REEL THINGS

DDB’s ECD Davis in new role as CCO/DDB San Francisco

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 1, 2016

DDB’S CHICAGO’S ECD KEVIN DREW DAVIS relocated to the agency’s San Francisco office where he will assume the position of chief creative officer at DDB San Francisco. He jo...

Savvy panel to discuss “Watching 1990s’ sports TV”

By Mike Morgan Jul 29, 2016

If you remember all the excitement of sports in the day of Michael Jordan’s three-peat dominance and Slammin’ Sammy Sosa’s endless homers for the White Sox, you’ll want ...

MIFF to screen work of 14 fabulous Female Filmmakers

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 29, 2016

Filmmaker / editor Gail Gilbert’s short film, thriller “Democracy in the Driver’s Seat,” will be one of 14 women-made shorts showcasing at the Midwest Independent Film F...

INDIE MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

First Chicago Film Project starts shooting in August

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 29, 2016

FULL SPECTRUM FEATURES, Eugene Sun Park’s non-profit production company dedicated to diversity in film, will start shooting the romcom feature “Signature Move” in August w...

Writer’s first short film wins international airing

By Marita Gomez Jul 29, 2016

It’s the stuff that screenwriters dream of: The affirmation that their film is worthy of being shared to an international audience.For Chicago screenwriter Richard Cohen, his ...

Mark Harris’ 2006 film gets a digital series reboot

By Colin Costello Jul 27, 2016

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of his 2006 urban dramady feature production “I Used to Love Her,” producer / director / writer Mark L. Harris of 1555 Filmworks, is brin...

New Stage 18 Production Partners meet with members

By Dan Patton Jul 27, 2016

Stage 18, Chicago’s Film and Media incubator at Cinespace, co-founded by Angie Gaffney, introduced its new Production Partners Program — 16 companies that provide resources ...

Mimi Productions shoots local scenes for LA feature

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 27, 2016

Although the “Bad Moms” Hollywood feature — to be theatrically released this Friday, July 29 — is set in Chicago but was filmed in Louisiana-as-Chicago over the winter, ...

REEL THINGS

TOP STORIES

Pope Leo XIV is from Chicago… can he bless the Cubs, Sox, Hawks, and Bulls?

Will Chicago benefit from Jon Voight‘s ‘make Hollywood great again’ plan?

Chuck Goudie unveils the killer of Sam “Momo” Giancana

Pre-opening party celebrates 22nd Black Harvest Fest

Hollis’ first doc about young hero bows on YouTube

St. John’s short is Blue Whiskey’s Best of Illinois

Escape Pod expands with stake in digital company

Elevated Films screenings support youth film programs

Filmmaker Gutiérrez needs sex & wants it known

Daily named new CCO for both WPP’s Cavalry and Y&R

Chicago Digital Media Fund grantees’ work to screen

Smith’s indie starts filming in Chicago & Michigan

DDB’s ECD Davis in new role as CCO/DDB San Francisco

Savvy panel to discuss “Watching 1990s’ sports TV”

MIFF to screen work of 14 fabulous Female Filmmakers

First Chicago Film Project starts shooting in August

Writer’s first short film wins international airing

Mark Harris’ 2006 film gets a digital series reboot

New Stage 18 Production Partners meet with members

Mimi Productions shoots local scenes for LA feature

Epsilon lands $24 mm consolidated Del Monte biz

Optimus to stay at Grand Ave., amid other changes

McDonald’s new Loop HQ builds on historic film site

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