BUSY WEEKEND, BUSY WEEK of events starts Thursday fright night as 2,500 guests (and counting) in costume congregate at the Bottom Lounge to attend Cutters’ “Bloodbath in Wonderland” annual Halloween party. And it’s no surprise that the event has been closed to RSVPs.
Amazingly, Cutters did not send out invitations. The event was posted on its website and, well, the word went viral, so to speak, among Bloodbath fans.
Choosing the best costume could be a challenge, given there are so many inspired people in the mix, and the winner out of those 2,500 – whose costume will have to be a super doozy — takes home a $1,000 prize.
ON SATURDAY, WINNERS OF THE ANIMATION CATEGORY of the Oscars’ Best Animated shorts spanning the 20th century since the early days of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse (!) will screen at Facets’ International Children’s Film Festival Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Music Box.
Tribute to Academy Animation, presented by Randy Habercamp, Managing Director of Programming, Education and Preservations the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, is at 11 a.m., followed by an informal lunch with Habercamp.
TV PRODUCER SANG KYU KIM of the hit series “The Walking Dead” and “24,” and “24” and “Crash” series writer, on Monday, Nov. 3 is the special guest of Industry Access Night, a presentation of Linda Frothingham’s ChicagoHollywood and Chicago Screenwriters Network.
Kim, a NU grad with an MFA from the American Film Institute, will share his experience, offer advice to aspiring TV writers and answer questions at VentureSHOT, 744 N. Wells, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets, a bargain $20, may be purchased here.
MWFF’S ANNUAL AD COMMUNITY Shorts Night, Tuesday, Nov. 4 (don’t forgot to vote) screens 14 films from the devilishly creative minds of agency/production filmmakers. They include Chicago directors Seth Henrikson, Phil Jungmann, Kenneth Yoder, Juan Camilo Moore, Nichael Gabriele, Chris Anderson and Paul Swiatek.
At Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St., 6 p.m.
WIF FOCUS AWARDS TICKETS are selling fast for the Wednesday, Nov. 5 dinner honoring five stellar women in film. National honoree is Chicago’s Shiva Piven, of the famous Piven Workshop/acting family, who directed Kristen Wiig in the comedy “Welcome to Me” comedy.
Local honorees are Susan Credle, Leo Burnett’s CCO who brought the agency creative fame and a bushel basket of awards; indie film producer Christina Varotsis, production manager on Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut, “Lost River,” and UPM on “Shameless;” and Erin Sarofsky, head of a design company that keeps Hollywood happy with their titles for blockbuster movies.
Emcee is Melissa Thornley, STORY’s newly appointed head of development.
Sponsors are AICP, Cutters, Cineverse, CRC, Leo Burnett, Optimus, SAG AFTRA and Whitehouse Post.
Tickets are $150 for members, $200 non-members. At the Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N. State, starting at 6 p.m.
HERE’S A FIRST. ICG’s Local 600 2014 Emerging Cinematographer Awards screens in Chicago for the first time. The program of short films was shot by the Guild’s up-and-coming cinematographers. That’s Nov. 6 at Film Row Cinema, Columbia College. Free and open to all. To attend, RSVP here.
More to come, so stay tuned – and also join the parties pictured on our ReelChicago Facebook Photo Album.
