Patrick Read Johnson's teenage visits to the visual effects stages of "Stars Wars" and "Close Encounters" launched him on a 20-year career as Hollywood effects technician and st...

Veteran agency production executive Monna O'Brien was named president of Swell, one of the city's top six post houses, owner Mike Topel announced. O'Brien spent 19 years wit...

The original speed filmmaking contest, the 48 Hour Film Project in July offers Chicago filmmakers the chance to compete for slots in two national competitions: the 48 Hour Film ...

"PRISON BREAK" has broken out in full-scale shooting of 12 episodes of the Fox TV series at Joliet prison and Chicago locations. The series stars Dominic Purcell and Stacy Keac...

SCOTT GRENKE of Beverly Hills/Chicago-based West Bridge Entertainment wrapped second unit shooting in Cary in late June on his sci-fi comedy "Space Daze 2." The picture star...

Lee Facklis, CEO of Show Department, Inc., accepts 2005 ICNC Company of the Year Award for its "exceptional growth to the area and produced a positive impact on the Kinzie Corri...

Carmen Mormino was in rehearsals to play the devil in David Mamet's play "Bobby Gould in Hell" in North Hollywood when the lead actress dropped out. Vagabond Players Theatre...

HURT McDERMOTT has taken home another screenplay award for the dystopian thriller "Nightingale in a Music Box," which he wrote and directed, the first feature for the distinguis...

Charles F. Larimer aims to bring his great-great grandparents' Civil War experiences to big and small screens with "Love and Valor," his "documentary/art film" now in production...

Director Dan Halperin and his producing partner Carey Lundin have set a late summer target date to start shooting their $3.5 million Stuart Dybek adaptation "Sweet Home Chicago....

The hour-long version of Bob Hercules of Media Process Group and Cheri Pugh's documentary "Forgiving Dr. Mengele" is back in production since obtaining a total of $26,000 in fin...

Oprah's Harpo Productions has purchased the former Peter Elliott studios cater-corner from Harpo at 1115 W. Washington St., the studio confirmed. The 17,000-sq. ft. producti...

Yuri Rutman, producer of 2001's "Mr. Id," is back with a slate of four to six features in a $10 million offering that he says is guaranteed to at least break even. Rutman mod...

The Dead Spots Society put the great but unsung spots of Cramer/Krasselt's Andrew Gall on a CD, which was cause for celebration. Hit "more" to see photos of the event.

Dewey Nicks of Villians directed pop and R&B megagroup Destiny's Child in a McDonald's/DDB spot, and a slightly different version for the U.K., with tracks by SPANK! Music & Sou...

The makers of products that revolutionized postproduction are doing it again. And to promote and sell its newly-engineered GenerationQ systems, Quantel has signed an exclusive s...

Hard work during fall and winter brings forth the rewards in spring and summer. In full bloom this week are commercials honored by the AICP Show in New York June 14, while Chica...

THE ONLY U.S. MEDIA LION awarded at Cannes this year went to Oprah for the much talked-about giveaway of more than 200 Pontiac G6 cars to Oprah Winfrey's studio audience, engin...

Aspiring filmmaker Adriana Rivera has some basic questions that the Reel is happy to answer, and hopes it also helps you. Rivera : I'd love to know what's filming in Chicago...

The Women in Film Foundation has given writer-producer Rosie Vargas Goldberg the final push to complete her debut feature "Bloom." The foundation chose "Bloom," formerly know...