NEWS AT THE TOP. Creative veteran Nancy Hannon has returned to Leo Burnett as EVP/ECD to oversee creative for Kraft and Kellogg’s brands, making it a full circle back to the first agency where she worked for a decade.
“Nancy is known as a leader in portraying women in advertising with attitude, intelligence and depth,” says USA CCO Susan Credle in an official announcement. “We welcome her contributions and leadership in this space.”
Hannon moves over from 18 months at Energy BBDO as EVP/ECD, running creative for Quaker and Bayer vitamin brands and working on new business.
Earlier, she was the Martin Agency’s SVP/CGD on Wal-Mart, the American Cancer Society, Hanes and others; at Y&R as VP/CD on Sears and freelanced for clients from Always to Energizer.
AFTER YEARS of being known as the Flyover Zone (wince), Chicago is taking its place on the movie map with two honors this month. MovieMaker Magazine named the city one of the top three Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker 2015. Chicago ranked number three on the magazine’s Top 10 list this year after Austin and Los Angeles, followed by New York.
In the accompanying story, read about the Chicago Film Office being nominated as Outstanding Film Office by the Location Managers Guild of America.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Fox TV’s killer ratings show, “Empire,” has been a huge boon to our film industry. Consider: The network spent a reported $25 million in Illinois in 2014 shooting its initial 12 episodes. Half that sum will apply to wages for Illinois workers, estimated at 250, who worked on the show. And it did business with 75 very happy vendors.
The show’s first season wrapped last Friday at Cinespace and will return in June.
BLACK APPLE MEDIA, manager/producer Angie Gaffney’s creative development and artist management company, signed to represent writers/directors Christian Gridelli’s and Hunter Norris’ 10-year-old, full-service DimeStore Films. The partners recently completed a feature, “The Origins of Wit and Humor,” to premiere this spring.
Black Apple Media’s staff includes manager Lauren Walker and producers Kevin McGrail and Steven Sullivan.
BOARD MEMBERS WANTED. Forty-year-old leading indie film organization, Chicago Filmmakers, is looking for candidates to join its board. They should have interest in marketing and communications, fundraising experience and knowledge of the local indie community to advance the organization’s impact. Find details and where to apply here.
INDIE DRAMA “USING,“ from Phenom Features’ writer/director Thomas Anthony Quinn and recently released by IndieFlix, is now available to stream online.
Quinn is an associate professor of Theatre Arts at Illinois Wesleyan University. His brother, Terry O’Quinn (John Locke of ABC’s “Lost”), pitched in to raise funds for the film, shot in Chicago and Downstate.
SEE YOU THURSDAY, Feb. 12 at Women in Film Chicago’s annual Kick-off Party at the offices of Sarofsky Corp., 1506 W. Fulton, 7-10 p.m. Members, $10, non-members, $20.
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