BYBELINDA BREMNER
The Illinois Production Alliance (IPA) recently announced its newly elected Board of Directors and Officers. If you want to meet the new team geared up to save the local film industry, come to the IPA’s 2003 Spring forum on April 28, 6-9 p.m. at the Chicago Hilton, 720 S. Michigan Ave. It’s a cash bar, but the snacks are free. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet Brenda Sexton, the newly appointed head of the Illinois Film Office (see p. 1). Other topics to be discussed during the event include reports on exciting legislative initiatives, an update of the fate of Chicago Studio City, and your role in keeping and making the Chicago film community happening. There will of course be questions taken as well as the all-important NETWORKING opportunity.
If you have any questions or you want additional information, call 312/867-5504 or visit the Web site at www.illinoisproduction.org.
The Illinois Film Office tells us that the phones are beginning to ring. Who knows the political/economic/emotional/environmental reason, but as of this writing there are some "possible possibles." Okay, so they’re not yet "definite maybes," but it’s part of the larva/pupa metamorphoses. We are getting several weeks of a new show called "Surprise By Design" for the Discovery Channel. As we all know, Barbershop II will begin shooting in July. But there may be a bonus. Queen Latifah, riding high after back-to-back hits, has been signed to play a cameo, the proprietress of the beauty shop next door. If her role is a standout, there are plans already in place to do a spin-off (welcome to ’70s television) movie called, you guessed it, Beauty Shop. Another film under discussion is Spike’s starring Mira and Paul Sorvino. The film, a 1.5 to 2 million dollar independent feature, is the brainchild of two Northwestern grads. The stars are attached, it’s just a matter of the money.
If it ain’t spin-offs, it’s remakes. Till Death Do Us Part, shot here last summer may well go back to the title of the film of which it is the remake, The In-Laws.
"ER" has returned and Jane Alderman will be doing the casting.
Tenner Paskal Rudnicke are casting minority teens for the Morgan Freeman film Straight Up. Other castings include projects for Quaker Oats, COPD, White Sox, Phillips, Allstate, and Advocate Health Care Systems.
And Lily’s sends word that Walter Bernard and Mia Hill had commercials. Elizabeth Augsburger, Bert Matias, Joseph Foronda, and Justin Ochonicki booked industrials. Marvinetta Woodley had a voice-over as did Steve Reardon and Ed Dybas. There were television bookings for Elizabeth Arceneaux and Dan Lougheed. Brandy Loiseau, Hunter Bradley and Cameron Flowers were booked in an independent film.
Don’t forget Monday, April 28. Heck, it’s my birthday!
Peace.