Rich Moskal celebrates 20 years as CFO director

CFO’s Rich Moskal at 20 years in the director’s seat

Yesterday was a “pretty standard day” for Rich Moskal, director of the Chicago Film Office, a division of the Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, DCASE), and located in the Chicago Cultural Center’s room 108 that’s shared with other Creative Industry staffs.

As usual, Moskal’s day was filled with non-stop meetings, since the CFO functions as the liaison between production companies filming in the city and all of the City of Chicago services – police, fire, bridges, streets, buildings, et al – that are required to make a film happen.

But Feb. 16 was not really a typical day for Moskal.  It was his 20th anniversary as head of the Chicago Film Office. He describes his position as “equal parts advocate, peace keeper, field marshal and referee and they all come together right in the middle of the street.

“That’s a busy intersection to cross. But it’s exactly that interchange, that collision of storytelling and real world borders, is what the job is all about. It’s a challenge and a thrill,” he says.

Moskal’s invaluable experience as a location scout

Moskal began his film career while he was attending Loyola University as a communications major.  As on a lark one day he called the Illinois Film Office asking if they could use an intern.  They could and brought him aboard.

All in a day's work for Moskal's CFOAfter graduation in 1985 he freelanced as a location manager and from 1992 to 1996 was department head some of the greatest movies ever made. “I worked on ‘Code of Silence,’ ‘Backdraft,’ ’Color of Money,’ many of the films that John Hughes cranked out and with directors like Brian DePalma and Martin Scorcese.”

One of Moskal’s biggest assignments was location manager on director Andrew Davis’ “The Fugitive,” in 1992.  “It was a tremendous experience,” he recalls.  He spent four months in prep, scouting and production on the opening train wreck sequence. 

“We started scouting throughout Southern Illinois but couldn’t find the geography the script called for.  We ultimately ended up in rural Dilsboro, N.C. and shot the scene there.

Joined the CFO with a perfect blend of skills

His career changed In 1996, when CFO director Charlie Geocaris, who had had been hired as commissioner of Nevada’s new film office, urged Moskal to apply for his CFO job, saying, “You have the perfect blend of film and government for this,’ and I agreed,” Moskal says. “It was an excellent opportunity.”

Twenty years later, Moskal continues to apply his unique and desirable blend of practical experience and government for the benefit of filmmakers from all over the world.  

Moskal’s staff of three is surprisingly small compared to the depth of the office’s oversight: Production coordinator Yolanda Arias, a CFO veteran, who will celebrate  her 30th year with the CFO in August, deputy director Betsy Grais and office assistant Eusebio Cunningham.

Despite its size, the CFO is a very busy place. In 2015, the Chicago Film Office handled the needs of 543 projects that filmed in the city over 1,902 days, 20% increase over 2014.

Moskal anticipates that 2016 could be the biggest and busiest year for Chicago filmmaking.  “It’s all to the credit of this community which has found a way to thrive, serve and make a name for itself,” he says. “The groundwork that was laid a long time ago has proven to be a success story.”

And Rich Moskal certainly has been a consistent part of that success for 20 and more years.

Reach Moskal at 312/774-6415; email, Richard.Moskal@cityofchicago.org