A Dick Wolf pilot about firefighters coming to Chicago

HOLLYWOOD’S TV PILOT SEASON 2012 has started with a bang — in Chicago.  One of the 10 pilots NBC Universal’s greenlighted for production is “Chicago Fire,” and since it was developed by Dick Wolf Films of the iconic, long-running

Remy Bumppo has second new director in four months

Only six months after accepting the artistic director’s job at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Timothy Douglas has resigned the post. Longtime Remy Bumppo artistic associate Nick Sandys takes over the position effective February 1. Douglas, who was given the job in October, 2010 but only officially took over from founding artis

Dream package prize awaits CSN script contest winner

The Chicago Screenwriters Networks’ screenwriting contest is officially underway for the fourth consecutive year and the enthusiastic new CSN board is determined to make this year’s contest the biggest and best yet.    With the super grand prize a screenwriter’s dream-come-true, CSN expects a record

Chicago Cubs strike out by hiring a New York agency

In the eyes of a lot of local ad executives, the Chicago Cubs have just struck out.  Big time. The team lost a big chunk of potential fans from Chicago’s advertising industry in recent days when the Cubs rather quietly announced it had retained a New York-based ad agency, quaintly-named The Brooklyn Brothers, to orchestrate its newest ad campaign with the theme line “Baseba

Win some, lose some: DPC up for Walgreens review

In a stunner that is sure to have major ramifications for Downtown Partners/Chicago, sources say Walgreens is launching an ad agency review.  That could mean big problems for Downtown Partners/Chicago, which has been the drugstore behemoth’s agency of record since the shop was founded by creative partners Jim Schmidt and Joe Stuart in 2004.  But Downtown Partners is expected to part

Cutters’ expansion moves beyond L.A. to Asian markets

Cutters’ current expansion knows no bounds.  Chicago’s biggest post company has just implemented its L.A. operation with two high-profile editors and a Chicago-transferred assistant editor and shortly will be seeking Asian business for its new Tokyo offi

Nearing’s period drama shooting now through June

THE KIDNAPPING OF A TYCOON set during the tumultuous 1918 Chicago race riots is the subject of Hogtown, being produced by Daniel Nearing’s

Fest premiere of Joffrey doc simulcasts to 40 theaters

In a first-ever event of its kind, writer/director Bob Hercules’ documentary Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance will be simulcast to more than 40 theaters on the second night of its festival premiere run.
 

New theatre homes for established Rivendell, Griffin

NEW EDGEWATER HOME FOR RIVENDELL. The ensemble theater, which is now in its 18th year of production (16th year of being

Bigger space and services in new Space Stage Studios

After six weeks of top-to-bottom renovation, Product Productions’ new full-service Space Stage Studios is up and running in what had been Steve Broderick’s old West Grand Studios at 1844 W. Hubbard St. “It was time for us to enlarge our facility, as the ty

Chicagoans convene Sunday at Sundance posh party

SOME 200 GUESTS, including many Chicagoans, are expected to attend Brenda Sexton’s annual Sundance party Sunday night that she is hosting at the magnificent private home of Crystal and Chuck Maggelett, owners of Flying J, a major gas company out West.

Pension funds would pay if Raleigh Studios defaults

Michigan’s largest film production studio will likely default on a bond payment due in two weeks, sticking the state’s pension funds with the $630,000 obligation, according a Jan. 19 story in the Detroit News by Nolan Finley. Sources close to Raleigh Studios in Pontiac told Finley that the owners have not made their required monthly escrow set-aside payments sin