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“Whirlwind” fall season yields good roles for actors

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 15, 2014

“A WHIRLWIND” SEASON of production – starting with a rush of commercials, four primetime network TV series, along with corporate and webs – has meant steady work for ...

Six Chicago-made TV pilots to compete in NYTVPF

By Mike Morgan Aug 14, 2014

That four out of the six Chicago selections in the 9th New York TV Pilot Festival are comedies, shouldn’t be a surprise, since Chicago is the comedy capital of the world (sli...

INDIE CINEMA

Lending receives $1.1 mm PBS grant to complete doc

by Ed M. Koziarski Aug 14, 2014

OSCAR-NOMINATED FILMMAKER Tod Lending’s documentary, All the Difference, five years in the making, has received a $1.1 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcast...

Teen Joey King stars in Corn Bred’s $1mm indie drama

By Dutch Ryan Aug 12, 2014

Teen actress Joey King (“The Conjuring,” FX’s “Fargo”) will star in Corn Bred Films’ suspenseful coming-of-age indie drama “Oriole Park,” along with ...

Tohtz joins Key Code Media, now in its new building

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 12, 2014

Key Code Media’s Chicago/Central Region branch, led by digital/new media products pro John Connelly, Sr., and now settled into own 6,000-sq. ft. building in Schaumburg, last...

Seng, Peters’ dating show pilot competes in NY Fest

By Dan Patton Aug 12, 2014

"Love Spitters," an offbeat win-a-date TV pilot created by Rich Seng, the digital communications visionary behind Gigity.tv, and Nicholas Peters, founder of ButterViZion Produc...

2 local agencies in pitch for $160mm Miller Lite biz

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 12, 2014

Three agencies – two of them here in Chicago – were tapped to compete in a MillerCoors formal review to come up with advertising ideas that will elevate its Miller Lite bran...

New York TV actors co-star in Chicago indie romcom

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 11, 2014

Two familiar actors from popular primetime TV shows co-star in filmmaker Robert Alaniz’ latest low-budget indie romcom,“Mind Over Mindy,” which just wrapped after a month ...

“Chicago, Please Love Detroit” appeal of mini-fest

By Mike Morgan Aug 11, 2014

Michigan transplants, especially from Detroit, should find the eclectic collection of a dozen made by Detroit filmmakers about their city over the past decade, to be nostalgic...

LA production houses shooting spots in Chicago

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 7, 2014

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION HERE is adding to the satisfying flow of entertainment projects getting underway now for the next six to eight months, with the expectation of continued ...

Big TV, film production season is underway

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 7, 2014

By midpoint this year, Chicago production had come close to the number of shooting days it had enjoyed during 2013’s record-breaking run, reports the Chicago Film Office’s...

Filmmaking Ziegelmans’ short based on tragic event

by Dan Patton Aug 6, 2014

Twin brothers Terry and Larry Ziegelman, filmmakers of LA and Chicago, respectively, recently transformed a bizarre workplace tragedy into “9 To 5 Feet Under,” a dark ...

Adman/filmmaker Schulze’s film bows at Black Harvest

By Ed M. Koziarski Aug 5, 2014

Hugh Schulze, the CEO of West Loop marketing communications agency recently turned filmmaker, returned to his home town of Detroit in 2012 to direct his debut dramatic feature...

Burnett involved in city’s new Fifth Star arts awards

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2014

THE INAUGURAL FIFTH STAR AWARDS to honor “exemplary artists and arts institutions,” as proclaimed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Specia...

Emmy Awards to air on PBS WYCC after 25 year hiatus

By Ruth L Ratny Aug 4, 2014

The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) 2014 Emmy Awards ceremony Nov. 1 will be especially auspicious because the 56th an...

3 Chicago film schools make the cut in THR’s ranking

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 31, 2014

Three Chicago area film schools were duly cited in the Hollywood Reporter’s 4th annual widest-ever roundup of the best film schools in the country and while our schools didn�...

Original Six has IRB Rugby match assignment coming up

By Ruth L Ratny Jul 31, 2014

The reigning IRB Rugby World Cup Champion, the internationally heralded New Zealand All Blacks, will play their first US match in 24 years against the USA Rugby Men’s Eagles,...

BTBTH shoots the finale of 45 RV videos next month

By Dan Patton Jul 31, 2014

Web-based media company Big Thinking By The Hour (BTBTH) is completing the last of 45 instructional videos for Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Recreational Products, maker of...

Siskel’s Black Harvest, Aug. 1-28, best ever at 20

By Ed M. Koziarski Jul 31, 2014

It was 20 years ago that Gene Siskel Film Center director of programming, Barbara Scharres, first launched the Black Harvest Film Festival that continues to be the main theatr...

All-star speakers at Global Mixx Music & Film Forum

By Amber Robbin Jul 30, 2014

Aaliyah Williams, the head of Russell Simmons' new YouTube network, All Def Digital, is one of 15 all-stars speaking at the 8th annual Global Mixx Music and Film Forum Aug. 16-1...

TOP STORIES

Ryne Sandberg, Cubs legend and hall of famer, passes away at 65

NBC sets Fall premiere date for One Chicago

Highdive makes a splash in NYC with new office led by award-winning duo