Seven suppliers’ great expectations for 2015

With 2014 having been an overall very good business year for the visual media indusry, what’s the forecast for the New Year?  Overall, the seven suppliers the Reel interviewed said they are looking forward to an even bigger year, with confidence, new opportunities and, in one case, with relief.

MUSIC DEALERS will greatly expand head count in 2015 as a result of “unprecedented growth” during the past six months, says CEO/cofounder Eric Sheinkop. “We are hiring 10 new employees across our Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and London offices, giving us a staff of 40, with the most employees here in Chicago.”

New staffers will focus primarily on music licensing and business development as their agency clients’ capabilities have “vastly expanded,” Sheinkop says, “to include music strategy, supervision and implementation and our catalog now offers nearly 20,000 artists and 200,000 authentic songs from across the world.”    

SAROFSKY will continue on the upward trajectory of the past two years, when the design/production company bought its own building, added staff and produced opening titles for two Marvel Studios blockbuster movies.

“We already have projects in the works that will keep our current staff busy through the year in both advertising and entertainment,” says owner/creative director Erin Sarofsky.

“And with the infrastructure upgrades, we have the capability to easily add more staff should we need to, which seems imminent.”

STORY’S first order of business January 1 will be moving into a new West LA office after 20 years in Santa Monica. “The new office is a little larger and has space for out-of-town directors and me to stay there overnight,” says EP Mark Androw.

Just last month, the production/post house relocated from its long-time River North offices to a trendy West Loop address, with comfortably expanded post facilities.

ROCKET PRODUCTIONS’ Hector Perez says their video production company has “lots of new business plans” coming up.  “We’re going to be our own client now,” he says, by creating and producing category commercials, e.g., car dealerships, and syndicating them throughout the country.

RESOLUTION PRODUCTIONS GROUP, the official overall name now encompassing Resolution Digital Studios, the Show Department and Screenworks, “is a better way of moving forward,” says EVP Fred Booras, “as it gives clients a single, cost-efficient source for all their needs.”

RPG’s New Year’s momentum will start with a “slammed February,” when divisions Show Department and RDS come together to produce a number of big, corporate live shows with multiple videos.

MAGNANIMOUS MEDIA equipment rentals is awaiting delivery of Sony’s hot new FS7 XDCAM 4K Super 35 camera, “and we plan to offer more FS7s” as the year progresses, says owner Craig Maltby. 

Also new for 2015 is a second Production Space in Magnanimous’ Near South building. “It’s a great facility for music videos and photo shoots,” Maltby says, especially at a cost-saving $250 a day or $25 an hour.

SHIRLEY HAMILTON’S Lynne Hamilton is viewing the New Year with “wonderful relief.”  Facing building issues, the city’s oldest continuous talent agency had agonized over moving from its Streeterville office of 15 years to new space. 

But the issues were resolved, sighs Hamilton, “and we realized we’ve been in the right place all along.”

So Shirley Hamilton’s New Year will start off with office renovations from top-to-bottom, literally, since new carpeting will be installed throughout the office Dec. 29-30.

How do you see 2015 shaping up for your business?  Send ruth@reelchicago a note about your upcoming changes for Part 2 of the 2015 business forecast.