Sundance to showcase “Trophy,” Chicago-funded doc

SCREENING AT SUNDANCE (Jan, 19-29) will be the 28-minute doc, “Trophy,” that was funded by the Chicago equity firm of CMP Invest / Impact, that invests in documentaries that are aimed at helping to bring about social change.

“Trophy,” from filmmakers Shaul Schwartz and Christina Clusiau, investigates controversial, multi-billion dollar big game industry and the complex consequences of imposing economic value on animals.

It centers on the 289 grizzly bears in British Columbia that were killed by trophy hunters for sport in 2016, which is legal there with an $80 government-issued hunting tag. The doc challenges the notion that killing grizzlies for fun is not appropriate in this day and age and should be banned.

Founded by filmmaker / director Paula Froehle and attorney Steve Cohen, CMP II, it grew from the Chicago Media Project, a nonprofit the partners established in 2014 to give film buffs a chance to support documentaries via grants.

KELLOGG’S SPECIAL K BRAND’S $100 million-plus account has returned to Leo Burnett after a two year stint at J. Walter Thompson as its US creative agency. Special K previously had been a Burnett account for a record-breaking 67 years.

Regaining Special K is a major triumph for Burnett, which lost McDonald’s nearly $1 billion account last year. New accounts MillerCoors and Jim Beam helped compensate for the loss.

WHO’S NEW: Rick Hamman rejoins Cramer-Krasselt from The Onion, where he’d been CCO responsible for in-house comedy creative shop Onion Labs. He replaces SVP/ECD Ken Erke, who departed the agency after 2 years to become a brand marketing consultant.

Before Hamman’s 2.5 year Onion gig, he’d been an GCD at Energy BBDO and earlier in his career, worked at Cramer-Krasselt for about 5 years. 

WHAT’S NEWS: Shafer Condon Carter won the Downers Grove-based Advocate Health Care account, the Midwest’s largest healthcare provider, following a review. SCC will handle planning, advertising, medial placement and social content.

RPM Advertising was selected as AOR for Fields Auto Group, home of The Premier Luxury Auto Group of 41 dealerships, representing 22 luxury automotive brands, located in Chicago, Madison and Waukesha, Wisc., Jacksonville, Fla. and Ashville, N.C.

THE 1980S’ OPERATION GREYLORD was a sting operation conducted by four top-level government agencies that exposed the malfeasance of the Cook County judicial. And if Chicago isn’t getting enough ugly international publicity today, a film called “Crook County” (ouch) based on Operation Greylord, is said (by Deadline) to be set for production.

EP is Adam McKay (“The Big Short”), a former Chicago improv actor and “Saturday Night Live” performer. Script by Gita Pullapilly, who will co-direct with Aron Gaudet.

THE COMMUNITY IS MOURNING the death last Sunday of veteran filmmaker and TV show producer Bob Schneiger after a year-long struggle with brain cancer at Symphony Nursing Home in Lincoln Park. He was 69.

An editor by trade, starting out at Towers Productions, he had been a partner with producer Gary Sherman in producing a Chicago-made A&E series “48 Hours: Missing Persons,” (that had given improv comedian Steven Colbert his first serious acting job). Schneiger had been producing Towers’ show, “Strange Inheritance” when he was stricken with cancer a year ago.

“Bob was a great person and a great friend and he will be missed,” says Sherman.

A memorial service is planned for sometime this summer.

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