BY BELINDA BREMNER
Aside from rampant rumors and sunny weather, there is little happening in the Windy City. So what’s with all the rumors, misinformation and groundless speculation? Many in the industry have bemoaned this distressing behavior and asked me to address it in this column.
So I guess we need to clarify some points. As of this writing, no one (and we’re talking agencies and casting directors) is closing! No one is buying anyone out or eloping. Yes, the map looks a little different than it did 12 months ago, but whatever the new configuration, there are no plans for further reshuffling. Now, should the SAG strike go forward, that might shake things up a bit; but sit tight for the time being.
This is a scary business–uncertain, unsteady and scary. Don’t add to the paranoia by indulging in rumor mongering. If you hear something, check it out, don’t pass it on. Our agents and casting directors have a tough enough time getting work for us, let alone dealing with silly rumors.
The venerable and very, very vital Jane Alderman wrote and asked me to pass along the following: "Contrary to current opinion, I am not retired, I am not moving to California, and I am not giving my work to another casting director. I am alive, here and casting a lot of projects. Zip your lips."
Okay, so what’s Jane and staff up to anyway? She’s casting both Joshua and Children on Their Birthdays. The Joshua bookings are forthcoming. Booked for Children on their Birthdays are Brazhai Brewer, Emily Cliborn, John Judd, Weston Mueller, Freeman Coffey, Joe van Slyke, Caitlin Collins, Cynthia Baker, Lucina Paquet, Philip Dawkins, Marilyn Dodds Frank and Paul Quaintaince.
Claire Simon is casting for the Guthrie and Missouri Rep. For an independent film called The Misanthrope, she cast Ian Belknap, Lisa Velten and Jennifer Joan Taylor. And she is currently casting for the new Julia Louis Dreyfuss pilot "23 minutes and 12 seconds in the Life of Eleanor Riggs." Commercials include Pontiac, Pharma and Sun America. Cast for Value City were Beth Lacke and Constantine Sotos .
The Illinois Film Office, not surprisingly, has little to announce in terms of production. Due to the looming strikes, there is no scouting for anything to shoot here before autumn. Road to Perdition is still, of course, shooting. Stolen Summer is here as is "Real World." As for those possible fall projects, they would include the Sean Connery thriller Evidence and Christmas Rush for Tom Carter, who did Save The Last Dance here.
Apologies to Georgia Mindell of Aria whose surname I butchered in the last issue.
Lots of bookings from Lily’s. Commercials went to Daniel Shelly, Jun Mock, Les Jennings, Brock Nichols, Corey Blouynt, Sara and Lynette Perkins, Declan Schleismann, Cindy Desmond, Gerald McQuirter, David Bennett, Ann Cruz, Elizabeth Arceneaux, Tyla Abercrumbie, Brad Potts, Sean Mitchell, Naomi De Lucco, Cindy Chang, Chris Huse, Roddy Chiong, Tim Slaske and Elizabeth Isibue. And industrials were booked by Jennifer Liu, Darryl Schultz, Joe Yau, Bradley Gabbert, Matt Dunaway, Brian Gorman, Jennifer Bradle,. Mary Chaisson, Chris Kossen, Randy Craig, Michael Martin, Barbara Alexander, Nancy Oda and Ernest Gibson. Client Chris Huse was cast in About Schmidt, which is filming in Omaha.
Peace.