Women in Film/Chicago Member News

Women in Film Chicago Inaugural Emerging Talent Series: Females in Focus

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:07:00 GMT

The Chicago chapter of internationally renowned Women in Film (WIF) will expand their already robust event rotation with a new series, Emerging Talent: Females in Focus. The series will profile Chicago’s emerging female filmmakers at a reception and screening held on Monday, March 19^th, from 6 – 9 pm, at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theatre.

The evening will feature the short films of award-winning filmmakers Mary Kay Cook, Grace McPhillips and Anna Jung.

RSVP for this free event by registering online.

About the Filmmakers

Mary Kay Cook, producer of “Wednesday’s Child” is an award-winning independent film producer with credits spanning multiple mediums, including features, commercials, shorts and music videos. Her work has been featured at film festivals, on television, and online. Mary Kay is the President of the Advisory Council for the Midwest Independent Film Festival, serves on the KMRC Endowment Campaign Cabinet, and is a proud member of SAG, AFTRA, AEA, and Women In Film Chicago. She works as a producer at Potenza Productions, a full service digital production company.

Grace McPhillips, producer, co-writer, and actress of “Fitting” is the owner of Sterling Rock Productions, specializing in creative fiction films. She also produces online content for Green Dream Group, a building diagnostics and training firm, which she co-owns with her husband. She served from 2007-10 on the board of the Illinois Production Alliance, helping to secure the Illinois Film Tax Credit; and proudly serves on the SAG council, which she is thrilled to see merge with AFTRA in April. Grace also created and spearheads the Chicago Acting in Film Meetup, a co-mentoring NFP for 250+ working actors, now in it’s 5^th year.

Anna Jung, director of “Off Into Space”, is Chief Creative Director and owner of silentRebel, which specializes in creating authentic, story-driven content told by real people or based on real events. Anna got her start in film & advertising at DDB Chicago, working on accounts like JC Penney, McDonald's and Dell. After an education at one of the world's top agencies, Anna honed her creative skills at an independent start-up before branching out on her own. From producing work for Fortune 500 brands to creating original content for television and film, Anna never tires of the creative process and considers herself lucky to love what she does. Anna sits on the advisory board of Women in Film Chicago, and is an active member of the Midwest Independent Film Festival and IFP Chicago.

About the Films:

“Wednesday’s Child”: Kelly Marble discovers her entire existence has been a series of experiments for books written by her parents. After this shocking revelation, she hatches a plan to force them into admitting the truth, but life takes an unexpected turn.

“Fitting”: Two women – one in a bridal dress, the other adorned as a bridesmaid (again!) – randomly reconnect in a bridal fitting room after an 8 year-hiatus, and discover how different their lives have become. Hilarity ensues. (*Official selection of the 2012 Vancouver Women in film Festival)

“Off into Space”: One guy, one night, one unbelievable catch: a quirky and lighthearted mini-doc that explores how hope springs eternal through Mike Pantazis, the Chicago super-fan who garnered national media attention with his famed 1995 leap* from the stands of Soldier Field. (*Named in 2012 by ESPN SportsCenter as "one of the top 10 leaps of all time"; Official selection of the Midwest Independent Film Festival’s Ad Shorts program.)

RDS Fosters Chicago Indie Film Revival: Partner with Story Arc's "The Ellen and Ted Show"

Mindy Hilt — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:00:28 GMT

Resolution Digital Studios, the largest television and film production studio in the Midwest, has chosen to become an investor in the feature film The Ellen and Ted Show, a comedy romance written by Gary and Beth Hoover slated by Story Arc to be shot entirely in Chicago this fall. A large segment of the film will be shot on-site in Resolution Digital Studios, a state-of-the-art facility in the West Loop owned by Jeff and Lee Facklis.

The film, based on a six-time award-winning screenplay, tells the story of two out-of-work actors paid by a reality TV producer to pretend they're madly in love. The feature is being produced by Story Arc in association with Fulton Market Films, a Chicago-based independent film production company whose most recent feature, the film festival favorite Being Bucky, was released last year.

Women in Film Chicago member Beth Hoover, WIFC's screenwriting mentor and a former WIFC board member, is one of the writer/producers on the project.

"Resolution Digital Studios, like Fulton Market Films, is committed to bringing high-quality feature filmmaking back to Chicago," said John Fromstein, founder of Fulton Market Films and executive producer of The Ellen and Ted Show. "This project, with its reality TV component, will make best use of the unique production capabilities and filmmaking resources Resolution Digital Studios has to offer."

Mitch Apley, executive producer at Resolution Digital Studios, added: "We wanted to get behind this project because we believe it's one of those rare independent features that has the kind of entertainment value and mainstream appeal that's necessary to attract a wide audience. Plus, it's appealing in that it will be a homegrown project, with an award-winning director, producer and writing team all based in Chicago."

The formation of Story Arc and its partnership with Resolution is just the latest good news to come out of Chicago's production community in 2010. Last month, Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Enterprises became a 50 percent partner in Chicago-based Flashpoint Academy, whose name was subsequently changed to Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy.

More evidence of the resurgence of Chicago's film and television industry can be found in the record number of TV pilots - six - shot in the city this past spring. Two major Hollywood productions - Ron Howard's "Your Cheating Heart" and Michael Bay's "Transformers 3" - will be shooting here this summer. And the Chicago-based Midwest Independent Film Festival, the nation's only fest dedicated to the region's independent filmmaker, continues to experience exponential growth, selling out each of its monthly events since the beginning of 2009.

Of course, the December 2008 enactment of a 30 percent tax incentive for film and television productions in Illinois is also proving instrumental in drawing business back to a once-flourishing industry here.

"There is a creative revolution under way here and Story Arc is just one part of it," said Gary Hoover, writer and co-producer for The Ellen and Ted Show. "Everyone in the local film community knows that there's a rich vein of talent in Chicago - top acting talent, first-rate production people and, of course, the dark beauty of the city itself. Our goal is to tap into that creative infrastructure to make intelligent and compelling films that'll make the coasts sit up and take notice."

Attached to direct the film is Scott Smith, a director whose work has been screened at Tribeca Film Festival, HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival and other festivals. Smith most recently directed Being Bucky, a feature-length documentary that won the Audience Award and Best Documentary at the Wisconsin Film Festival.

The Ellen and Ted Show is the latest feature script from Gary and Beth Hoover, a team whose work has been honored by more than two dozen screenplay competitions and independent film festivals, including Moondance, Vail and Austin film festivals. Their work has also been recognized by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope and the prestigious Nicholl Fellowships sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

"Since officially launching the project at an investor reading at Resolution Digital Studios last month, we've received overwhelmingly enthusiastic response," Fromstein said. "The fact that Resolution is now coming on board as an investor just adds to that momentum."

More information on the project can be found at the film's Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/ellenandtedshow or by contacting John Fromstein, the film's executive producer, at jfromstein@fultonmarketfilms.com.

A Chat with Nancy Schreiber at Fletcher Camera

Mindy Hilt — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:58:16 GMT

In May Women in Film's Chicago chapter held yet another exciting event highlighting female DP Nancy Schreiber ASC. Schreiber held a discussion with Women In Film Chicago about her career in cinematography and the industry atFletcher Camera who co- sponsored the event.

Schreiber discussed her rise from being in the electrical department to becoming a DP and offered a lot of insight about camera work and technology. When asked about how being a women affected her career, Schreiber responded "I would have made a lot more movies."

Schreiber talked frankly about her struggles with being a female in the industry. During her career, often Schreiber was asked "Can you carry that by yourself?" Schreiber stated there were many stigmas and that the reality is she's still referred to as a "cameraman".

Schreiber was honored with the Best Dramatic Cinematography Award at Sundance 2004, with the film 'November', directed by Greg Harrison and starring Courtney Cox. In 1997, Schreiber shared the Best Cinematography Award at Sundance for the documentary 'My America...Or Honk If You Love Buddah'. She also garnered an Emmy nomination for Best Cinematography on the acclaimed 'Celluloid Closet' for HBO. In addition, Schreiber was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for 'Chain of Desire' and was recognized in 2000 by 'Variety' magazine as one of 10 DPs to watch.

In 1995 Schreiber was voted into membership into the prestigious American Society Of Cinematographers, the fourth female in the organization's history. Well regarded in the industry, Schreiber was chosen as the director of photography on 'Visions Of Light', a stunning documentary on the art of cinematography, an early Hi-Definition Film.

Schreiber's talk was excellent and was well attended. Women in Film also had a few new members sign up!

Women in Film Chicago (WIFC) is a nonprofit membership organization for all creative content professionals. With a focus on driving the advancement of women in this industry, WIF Chicago provides a dynamic network to facilitate the exchange of ideas and opportunities and builds a solid educational platform to accelerate the professional development of our members.