Here are Chicago’s MAKERS—Producers, Crew & Production Services
50 Crystal Portillo and Jessica Christopher Owner and Shop Supervisor, Cirque FX
At Chicago creative studio Cirque FX, which specializes in makeup and props not limited to gore, casualty simulation, creature, fantasy and high fashion effects, Crystal Portillo is a special makeup effects artist and lab tech: “My work involves a lot of medical research and figuring out how to recreate something in a tight deadline. I’m passionate about collaboration because it takes a good team of people to create something majestic. I enjoy brainstorming; getting different perspectives on a process and seeing how a project comes together. It’s all about being able to collaborate with productions to achieve a combined goal. Everyone wants to have their vision come to life and look outstanding. Without good working relationships with all departments, it becomes a strained process that could end up a missed opportunity to really create something amazing while having fun in the process.” Portillo sees “The Right To Rest” agreement, which codifies the number of hours that workers can be called upon to work, as a key element in sustaining the industry. “The Right to Rest agreement that was being voted on for Local 706 says a lot about what is needed to sustain the working community. Without it, the entire system is unsustainable.” Jessica Christopher is lab supervisor and occasional writer-director. “I mainly do fabrication, so I may do anything from running silicone to making a dummy or collaborating on a mold with other Cirque team members. Collaboration is really important and uplifting, especially when recommending other artists for jobs that could benefit from their specialty. In the realm of taste and technique, my secret is trying something I have no idea how to do, knowing full well in the beginning of the process I’ll most likely fail but will come out on the other end having a foot in the door for the next attempt. Most everything I do at Cirque I did not know how to do initially and had to make mistake after mistake until I got good at it. Some mistakes hit harder than others but a healthy curiosity that, truthfully, borders on obsession sometimes is a huge requirement for this type of work. Crystal has nurtured an environment of innovation and growth at Cirque and every team member is encouraged to ‘up their game’ by bringing something new that they’ve learned or something they want to try out. The best people in this field are part artist and part mad scientist and are all true innovators. We’re trying to get a good grasp of the digital side of makeup effects. We’ve jumped into 3D scanning already and I’m working on getting proficient in Zbrush and 3D printing.” She says, “There’s so much great work being done out there! Thanks to Cinespace and the Dick Wolf Chicago shows, there’s enough work to go around and I’m very grateful for that. Shows like Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Cabinet Of Curiosities’ are also a huge win for artists who work in this field. The fear of getting replaced by AI is constantly being talked about, but there is still a real need and want for tangible effects and we are seeing a lot of that today.”
Tim Konn, Drew Weir and Louise Rider/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
47 Tim Konn, Louise Rider and Drew Weir Managing Director, Executive Producer and Sound Designer/Mixer, Another Country Chicago
Another Country is a post-production audio house that specializes in sound designing and mixing feature and short films, documentaries and advertisements; recent projects include Steve James’ “A Compassionate Spy,” “America To Me” and “City So Real,” each of which boast remarkably evocative sound work. Managing director Tim Konn says the gig is “to create the best soundscapes possible. I love all things audio, and have always admired great service and attention to detail, so post-production provides the perfect setting to marry those affinities. More than anything, I like taking care of people and sitting in front of nice speakers. There’s no secret to what I do; I try to simplify things as much as possible, find the best way forward, and help however I can along the way. The Chicago production scene has really come into its own since I’ve been part of it. We have great organizations and passionate ambassadors leading the charge for our vibrant community, so I see an upward trajectory as we look toward the future. Another Country and our parent company, Cutters Studios, contributes by providing world-class creative services, fostering growth in rising talent, and supporting a wide range of community endeavors.” Executive producer Louise Rider says that she will “bid and book jobs and make sure our audio engineers have everything they need to complete a project. Sound is a crucial player in any piece of film, although it is often overlooked. I strive to make sure that our team of audio assistants and sound engineers have all the support they need to create meaningful pieces of art through sound. Audio can be an afterthought, something that no one notices when it’s good but everyone notices when it’s bad. Sometimes the job of a sound mixer is to do their best work just so it won’t be noticed. So the community as a whole recognizes that sound is an integral part of filmmaking that may not receive all the accolades. In the absence of recognition, the drive to succeed and love for audio needs to be what sustains you.” Drew Weir works as a sound designer, sound editor and re-recording mixer. “I clean and mix the dialogue, production audio and music score. I also support the visual storytelling with sounds and atmospheres that enhance the overall vision.” You need to have a reputation, he says, “but you also have to have a style. By style, I don’t mean something artificial. I mean a work style, artistic style, personal style, things that make you an individual. That way collaborators feel like they know you. That understanding brings a level of comfort to what can be a crazy, stressful situation.” There’s a stage of the work that Weir likes most: “I really love the phase when the audio tracks are organized, first passes are done and pre-mixed and you just get to sit back with the director and shape everything.That’s the time when a project starts to really feel like a movie and you can almost get lost in it. Those subtle mix tweaks are what bring it all together and all to life. The producer and director are usually pretty excited at this point because it’s near the end of what has probably been years of work and the focus shifts to what is right in front of them and how to make that work the best it can possibly be.”
Scott Schwartz and M.E. Barker/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
38 M.E. Barker and Scott Schwartz Head of Film/TV and Head of Development, Nice Work Films
Nice Work says their business is artistic empowerment and creative collaboration. “At Nice Work Films, we live in the middle ground between independence and the traditional Hollywood system,” says M.E. Barker, head of film and TV. “We hunt for scripts, concepts, and IP from non-traditional creators and partner with them. We package those projects with talent and collaborators with name recognition and sales power in order to position them within the Hollywood marketplace,” she says. “For us, it’s a non-negotiable that the creator is at the center of the project, in creative direction, but most importantly, in ownership.” Scott Schwartz is head of development. “As an executive in film and TV development, I find unique voices, properties and scripts and package those properties in order to bring compelling and valuable pieces of content to market.” The key to sustaining the business, says Barker, is “opportunities, access and capital. Community has to come first, and the interdisciplinary artistic community in Chicago is always at the center of a growing industry.” Barker says, “An industry needs industrialization: product and promotion equal sales, sales drive the product and supply the promotion to increase those sales. But a community needs a message, it needs an answer to the why of it all. Why do we do what we do? Why do we willingly put ourselves in one of the most historically difficult industries marred by gatekeeping, large personalities, and roadblocks at every turn? At Nice Work, we believe that there is a story behind every story—an answer to that which creates compelling content from places often overlooked. In the past, there was the “industry” (Los Angeles, New York) and the “community” (Chicago, everywhere else) and those two seemed to be in opposition. But in a media landscape where platforms arise on a routine basis and the most-watched content is consumed in thirty-second clips, it’s increasingly clear that these two areas are not opposed but symbiotic. Industry needs to differentiate their product from their competitors, while communities need to feel like they’re a part of the conversation. Communities such as the thriving, diverse, creative community of Chicago can offer the industry their separation from the pack while the industry can offer these communities a seat at the table.” What passions are behind Nice Work collaborations? Barker says she has a deep belief that creative talents are transferable skills; a playwright is capable of writing a screenplay, a podcast host can absolutely come up with an unscripted television concept, and an actor can develop a film. The phrase “underrepresented voices” is mentioned a lot, and that conversation is crucial. But it has resulted in a very small group of extremely busy POC, queer and women creators and writers, while a massive pool of brilliant folks with those same marginalized identities are unable to break through because the industry still has gatekeepers and red tape at every turn. There is still an extreme lack of access to opportunities and literal representation (agents, managers, lawyers) for most artists. But a great script is a great script, regardless of how experienced a writer may be. Building the bridge to legit industry opportunities for those who are unable to break through is at the center of what we do.” Schwartz adds, “The best piece of Hollywood advice I was ever given was told to me once by a studio executive—’No one knows anything, so act accordingly.’ What they meant was that there isn’t some Magic 8 Ball to tell us whether our instincts are good or bad. All you can rely upon is a hunch. If you read something one day and find your mind drifting back to it, there’s a reason why. The only technique I’d say we implement isn’t so much of a technique as a philosophy—Keep an open mind and read everything. You never know when you’ll stumble across a small play ripe for adaptation or a graphic novel that becomes the next franchise hit. But I do know you’ll never find those things if you believe any artist to be superior to another based on credits, race or geography.”
35 Lena Waithe Executive Producer/Creator, “The Chi”
Producer-director-writer-performer Lena Waithe brings productions like Showtime’s “The Chi” to the Chicago area as part of her prolific output, not limited to her Hillman Grad productions, which was founded in 2018. One of the company’s efforts is a partnership with the Rising Voices initiatives. “Creating opportunities for underrepresented BIPOC creators in Hollywood is our mission, and we are forever grateful to Indeed for their partnership which allows us to empower the next generation of great storytellers,” Waithe says in a release. “‘The Chi,’ to me is a family. It’s about a family, about a community, and the thing that I always press us to do is things that other shows may be afraid to do and to talk about things that other shows may not really want to tackle,” she told Deadline in 2021. “Some people, you know, may feel like, oh, is it very Chicago, is it very Chicago. And it’s like, yeah, because that’s where it is. It’s just innately Chicago,” Waithe said at a Washington Post panel on race in America earlier this year. “But the stories really have a broader appeal. I mean, this season, our fifth season, it was our most-watched premiere in the history of the show. So, it means that people are talking. They’re telling people about the show, and we’re gaining a bigger crowd because it’s the complexities that keep people coming back.”
31 Natasha Parker-Olguin Location Manager and Producer, Writer, Director, Noisemakers Entertainment
Natasha Parker-Olguin is a location manager, as well as a producer-director. She’s worked on local productions including “Patriot,” “The Chi” and “Ironheart.” The work “entails breaking down a script by locations that fit with the vision of the creatives: the writer-showrunner, director and production designer. Every location is a character that adds to the world of our characters. It can make or break the environment of a story. Once we find our ‘hero’ locations, my department manages every aspect of working in partnership with the community residents, businesses and city entities as more than 130 people converge on one area. We are the liaison between the rest of the world and the crew hoping to achieve harmony and balance. We negotiate contracts, provide the needs for every department from crew parking, landing trucks, equipment placement for lights, cameras, structural assessments for safety if the crew is on a rooftop, bathrooms, lunch, background holding areas, school and cast green rooms, security, CPD details… the list is ongoing.” The work of a location manager covers so much ground, she intends to convert her skills into work as a producer. “You shuffle a multitude of responsibilities for all the departmental needs so they’re successful and can achieve their individual goals under a common crew goal of making the best product of what the writer has given us in their script. A producer brings together a group of creatives under one banner providing them the resources and support necessary, with compromises of course, so they all can excel and do their best work.” What makes all this possible? “The necessary ingredients to sustain an industry is a competent, skillful, talented and determined workforce with sound stages, strong unions and a competitive film tax credit. Chicago has amazing talent in this city that is a force to be reckoned with. Our industry has thrived for decades. Our community is sustained by the strength of our members of our local unions, the Chicago and Illinois Film offices, the media training workforces, relationships with our communities, the politicians that have supported filming in Illinois, partnerships with schools and outreaches to the local communities to increase diversity into our industry.” She saw the opportunities: “I hated a nine-to-five office job and chose a sixteen-hour day venturing into film. I took a chance as a PA in my late twenties after leaving a job with benefits and a steady income as a single mom. Leap of faith. I took a chance on trusting my colleagues, one specifically, Mono Wilborn, who grabbed me and threw me into locations on ‘The Dark Knight’ as a location coordinator. Then he threw me into my first location-managing gig. I am no longer afraid to leap. We are all standing in line, so before my time is up, I’m game for it all. Don’t be afraid to teach someone and share your knowledge with someone else. Be nice. The PA learning how to use a walkie today could be your boss tomorrow.”
Richard Song/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
30 Richard Song Producer/Director/Managing Director, Eleven04 Productions
Richard Song’s work includes Eleven04, an equipment house that rents camera and lighting equipment to Chicago productions, including commercials, short films and independent features. Eleven04 enters into some deals with filmmakers to help them with their projects, and intends to do more co-production deals. The most recent, Alex Phillips’ “All Jacked Up And Full of Worms,” debuted to vivid, startled reactions at festivals starting with Fantasia Fest and Chicago International. Another is Toasty Video, co-founded with a partner, which produces commercials in Chicago and nationally. Song is also a member of Chicago Media Angels, which allows him to learn about financing models and investors behind film projects. “I think I see myself as both a filmmaker and a businessperson, and it took me a while to get there. I started as a cinematography major at Columbia College Chicago, and quickly realized that I was intrigued by the inner workings of how films come to life. I want to be able to tell a good story, but also tell it sustainably. …how to be able to tell a good story, and partly on how to make sure filmmakers can tell a good story, but also make it commercially viable.” The industry and community, Song says, needs both “idealistic magic and a realistic plan. Passion is the most important, as that drives people with their intrinsic motivation, however, the reality isn’t always that idealistic. Part of my job as a producer and a businessperson is to understand how to deliver on people’s passions and dreams while making sure that we are still covering our bottom line. The most important thing is being authentic: one needs to understand one’s situation and ability first. This is not self-loathing or narcissism, this is simply to understand yourself from within and have a good picture of reality. Only from there, one can dream big and be passionate.” Song says he’s made many recent discoveries about his own passion. “An overarching theme in my career has always been trying to understand and relate. Being an immigrant myself, the hardest thing, in the beginning, was to convince myself that I could fit in. I joked that when I first came here, everyone looks like they’re from one of the American TV shows I’d seen growing up, so I didn’t feel like I could be a part of it. Ultimately, I realized that I’m overthinking the problems. Bruce Lee once said, ‘I’m just human.’ So when I’m managing my staff, collaborating with other filmmakers, dealing with different people, my first thought is always that we are all humans. This is a long way to simply say that I’m passionate about people, I like to meet people, understand people, then eventually, use my skills to help them be their better selves and to achieve their dreams. That’s what I like about filmmaking. It’s a highly collaborative profession, and it’s a perfect blend of dreams and reality.”
Stephanie Jeter/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
27 Stephanie Jeter Filmmaker and Co-Founder/CEO, Breaking Light Studio
Stephanie Jeter divides her time between developing her own projects as an independent filmmaker and supporting other filmmakers through her company, Breaking Light Studio, a film and television incubator. “Both practices are borne from a sense of urgency. An urgency to tell stories that are both timely and timeless, an urgency to support marginalized storytellers in substantive ways, and an urgency to leave the film and TV industry better than I found it. I often think about the cultural imprints on American cinema that have yet to be made and what part I can play in creating them,” Jeter says. “Every story, no matter the format, is elevated by an element of mystery. I enjoy working with filmmakers whose body of work transcend genre, and artists who have a fluidity in their approach from project-to-project.” In the larger scheme of the industry, she says, “we must be led by a desire to innovate and a desire to think beyond what we’ve always assumed was possible. What if this industry truly held pluralism as its core value, as opposed to temporarily and half-heartedly responding to social movements? What if industry stakeholders were compelled by a sense of justice and decided to yield power to those who have always been pushed to the margins?” Her strongest creative work, Jeter says, “always has Black women at its center. I love telling stories about us, our perspectives, our complexities, our power, our vulnerabilities. I try to explore new ways of amplifying Chicago’s richness of culture and history, especially from West Side and South Side perspectives, which we haven’t seen enough in the film and TV landscape. I love living and working in Chicago as a filmmaker,” Jeter continues. “Our passion, earnestness, and dedication are unlike any other city. And the talent is here! So much world-renowned talent is borne from Chicago’s streets, schools and artist communities. The majority of the artists we work with at Breaking Light Studio began their creative careers here. We’re developing features and TV shows that can be shot here, which is important because we’ll need an independent film ecosystem to achieve a self-sustaining local industry.”
Lawrence Daufenbach /Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
25 Lawrence Daufenbach Owner, Daufenbach Camera
“I own a motion picture camera rental house that is Chicago’s oldest locally owned and founded camera shop,” says Lawrence Daufenbach. Daufenbach Camera provides camera equipment for movies, commercials, television shows and corporate projects. “Having an active presence in the film community has always been the heartbeat of our mission. When I started the business, I worked directly with Local 600 to make sure that local camera departments had access to new technology. As a fellow member, I understood the challenges and accessibility to technology that was needed then. We continue to provide the latest in technology to our clients and keep up with the latest trends of the East and West Coasts. I love to see cinematographers use technology to really allow their art form to stand out in its role of helping to tell stories.” Daufenbach has always been interested in both art and business. “When I was in film school, the era of digital cinema cameras was taking shape. I knew there was always a risk, but the momentum of my own creative endeavors as well as the innovation in technology gave me confidence.” Chicago, he says, will always be a home for the creative. “It’s hard to walk a downtown city block without seeing our history in the phenomenal architecture that towers over the skies. It’s a city that inspires. We offer great incentives for commercial, film and television and that is held up by hardworking crews and the studios that support both small and large scale production.”
Erin Sarofsky/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
24 Erin Sarofsky Main Title Designer/Executive Creative Director/Owner, Sarofsky
The work of Erin Sarofsky and her studio for Marvel Studios movies has been seen by more viewers than most directors get seen in a lifetime. Sarofsky’s work for 2022—so far—includes “Werewolf By Night,” “WeCrashed,” “Peacemaker,” “The Gray Man” and “The Staircase.” “Show creators, directors and producers hire me and my team at Sarofsky to create title sequences, special sequences, locators and other heavily designed elements for their films and TV shows.” Sarofsky sees hard work, consistency and connections and friendships as keys to keeping going. You also “have to be resilient to rejection. For every one ‘yes,’ there are a hundred ‘no’s. Having a Teflon coating when it comes to rejection is really important. If the feedback you are getting is consistent, then you need to adjust. But it doesn’t mean you give up. In addition to being passionate about the work, I am also passionate about training the next generations of makers. Me and my friend Austin Shaw have a podcast dedicated to the craft and culture of motion design, and that is our way of helping fill the education gap between the making (which people often learn in school) and real industry dynamics. In our industry, knowing how to do the work is a baseline requirement, but there are other aspects of the industry that if you understand them will help you be successful, or at least better understand rejection.” A comprehensive background also helps the work along. “My education in design and animation set me into the industry with a strong foundation. Then I worked at studios that inspired me, mentored me and ultimately gave me opportunities to contribute. When I started my own studio, those were the pillars I wanted to create to attract amazing talent and it’s really been working out.” Sarofsky looks toward the future: “It’s really exciting to see how many shows are in production here in Chicago, and more and more, we are seeing post come here, too. My hope is to see more post-production stay here. Now, for me, it’s about leading, mentoring, being a resource, a connector and a person with great taste and the ability to express my thoughts and ideas in the right moment.”
Derek Dudley/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
23 Derek Dudley Executive Producer, “The Chi” and Partner, Regal Mile Studios
“When I was blessed to work with Lena Waithe, creator of ‘The Chi,'” says “serial entrepreneur” Derek Dudley, “it brought me back to Chicago and I fell back in love with the city.” He had moved away in 1994 and pursued his career in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. “Though I would travel back and forth to Chicago in the years, coming back to executive produce ‘The Chi’ made me re-develop a love for Chicago and especially my community on the South Side. My vision for Regal Mile Studios was born out of that new love for my community. I wanted to change people’s lives and raise the bar in our community, to not only provide jobs, but provide careers so that people can earn a real, living wage and provide for themselves and their families.” Regal Mile Studios should have its first couple of stages operational a year from now. “I’m a serial entrepreneur and multitasker at heart,” Dudley says. “I’ve worked in the entertainment industry for nearly thirty-five years, starting in music management. Aside from working as a film and TV producer, Dudley works in real estate and as a hospitality industry investor. “We have a real opportunity to transform how our city is defined, to reshape neighborhoods and communities in a very positive way. This is bigger than me, this is bigger than Regal Mile Studios. This is about us all coming together to build a thriving industry that will create a legacy of greatness. We have to look at studios and soundstages as the modern day factories, the same ones that helped drive and build the industrial revolution and middle class.” Dudley says another goal is for Chicago to become “Hollywood of the Midwest,” the way that Atlanta is seen as the “Hollywood of the South.” “We will need the continued support of the governor, state and local officials to push through the necessary tax incentives to keep Chicago not only competitive but in the leadership role of tax incentives for content creation. While we are not making steel or building automobiles, we are creating the hottest commodity out there, which is content, and Chicago should be an industry leader in the creation of content the same way we were once an industry leader in the manufacturing of steel.” That process will also forge a community, he says. “To sustain any industry you have to have a solid foundation based in love of self and love of others. You have to be a visionary and understand that what you are doing is always bigger than you. I want to leave a mark on my community and on the world. I want that mark to be based on how many people I help and the lives I enrich.”
21 Vincent Martell, Fatimah Asghar and Jordan Phelps Founder/CEO/Director, Executive Producer/Director and Co-Founder/Executive Producer/Director, VAM Studio
“Honestly, I sometimes worry that the Midwest and Chicago film community isn’t sustained,” says VAM Studios co-founder, producer-director-editor Jordan Phelps. “While we’ve seen larger-funded, Hollywood and national productions come into the region, which employ freelance filmmakers in our communities, there’s still very little fiscal support from major corporations for independent film work and small business production companies. We know how daunting it is to even try to start a company, let alone try to sustain yourself as an independent artist. As a company, we’ve seen incredible successes in working with Chicago and Midwest nonprofit and humanitarian organizations, which have been so wonderful in partnering with VAM and have always had incredible messages to share within their own mission, but there is still a gap between producing for others and being able to produce for yourself,” he says. But “we still rely on opportunities outside the region to supplement our work in the Midwest and I still strive for Chicago to be more self-sustaining. But VAM has only ever prioritized providing opportunity for our teams and crews over the years and we take pride in having done whatever we could to consistently employ Chicago filmmakers and creatives alike.” Says co-founder Fatimah Asghar, co-producer and writer on “Ms. Marvel” and writer and co-creator of the “Brown Girls” web series, “There’s a beautiful way that people band together to make magic in the Chicago film industry. There truly is a way that people have a very indie or DIY mindset where everyone does everything and achieves the impossible. There’s so much beautiful work that comes out of Chicago that couldn’t be created anywhere else for that reason. There needs to be a lot more resources for artists allotted in Chicago, and that would increase a path to sustainability.” Film, especially, has a problem with sufficient resources and underfunding of artists. “I hope that there are more organizations and companies that have money that are willing to invest in artists who work here, are based here or have ties here, especially queer artists of color.” Phelps says that in terms of the greater industry, “the obvious ingredients, like with any good dish, would be to bring raw, authentic, non-modified ingredients to the table first. The content that we consume from today’s film and television industry is incredibly diluted, censored, standardized and mostly formulaic and it starts with the writing of material. Often the creators or writers of a story end up with a very different product than what they put in the oven, so to speak, and it’s all because of how many cooks are in the kitchen. Hollywood execs. Producers, Editors. Picking away at new works. Fresh writers and filmmakers in the larger American film industry are rarely granted freedom to explore unhindered unless they are either fully educated in that field or hold an advantage by being white or male, typically. And the fact of the matter is, despite how ‘anti-capitalist’ we want to be in our lifestyle or in our work, our communities need money. Period. Funding and resources to create the authentic work we have in our underrepresented communities is scarce and makes competitors out of us. We’re competing with ‘that one queer producer’ or ‘those few directors of color’ who are leading the industry, and the industry acts like there aren’t resources for more to join the party, meanwhile mainstream media platforms reach billion-dollar budgets. I think the best thing I can do and VAM can do is to tell stories that don’t have to answer to industry standards or censorship.” Adds Vincent Martell, producer-director-co-founder: “I’m incredibly passionate about discovering new resources to bring to the Chicago film industry. In doing so, we’ve been able to produce shorts with companies like Nike, Apple, Dr. Martens, and many more incredible advocates of our work. We’re contributing to the fabric of the Chicago film industry daily, and we’re proud to be a part of this legacy. Each time VAM releases a new project, it brings more attention to the city. The spotlight for underrepresented talent gets that much brighter. For over a decade, I’ve invested everything I’ve had into the Chicago film industry. VAM Studio is more than just a production company. It’s an example of what could be. I’ve been fortunate enough to create a launching pad for some of the most talented writers, directors, producers and cinematographers in our industry. We’ve been able to center all of our productions around the marginalized, creating opportunities that weren’t seen in the market before our existence. But it’s been incredibly difficult. Creating something the world has never seen before comes with a lot of personal sacrifices and many mistakes. I hope in the future it’ll be easier for filmmakers of color to find resources and produce without prejudice. We went through hell to be recognized, so I hope it’ll be easier for the next generation of film to break in.”
Jason Matsumoto and Cassidy Dimon/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
20 Jason Matsumoto and Cassidy Dimon Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director and Director of Programs, Events & Accessibility, Full Spectrum Features
“Full Spectrum is in a period of rapid growth, which we expect to continue over the next few years,” says co-founder and co-executive director Jason Matsumoto. “We have built the organization’s senior leadership team across the production, exhibition and education and research departments. We have over $1 million in grant money solely dedicated to furthering our impact and education model in 2023, and we are on the precipice of greenlighting a portfolio of new film productions. As our team expands, I expect to have a narrower lane to think strategically about managing this growth period toward long-term sustainability and stabilization. It is an exciting time that has been made possible by the hard work of our current staff, as well as the many amazing Full Spectrum ‘ancestors’ who have made huge contributions to the organization over time.” Cassidy Dimon, dIrector of programs, events and accessibility sees her role as one “to support and uplift local, diverse, historically unheard voices and audiences here in Chicago and beyond. This is most visible through our Community Storytellers program that uplifts local Chicago stories through film, and our Access Reframed program that aims to increase film exhibition accessibility for all.” Says Matsumoto, “On the film production side, I focus on hardening our end-to-end financial processes. We are building a scalable financial system in anticipation of rapid growth in our production slate over the next few years. Instead of sustaining the existing industry, we strive to build a more equitable film industry, replacing what exists with a better system where power, decision-making and economic benefit are shared across a greater diversity of humans. This is the foundation for a healthy, vibrant and inclusive film community that I’d be proud to be a part of. Getting there is a monumental task. It requires us to analyze the deeply rooted, and often compounding causes that result in inequity. It requires us to commit to disruption and to hold steadfast behind our values and beliefs even when it is uncomfortable for us and others. It requires us to focus on processes just as much as outcomes. It requires us to be compassionate, empathetic, and approach everything with humility. It also requires a high degree of patience.” He never expected to run a film company. “I’ve been a musician my whole life, and had a ten-year career in the financial derivatives industry before Full Spectrum. I worked on the soundtrack for one of [co-founder] Eugene [Park]’s films, and the collaboration led to my involvement in ‘The Orange Story,’ an early Full Spectrum film and digital education project about Japanese American WW II incarceration. I traveled with the project during its festival run, which allowed me, for the first time ever, to speak publicly about my grandparents’ experiences as incarcerees of the US government. I had never really explored this history in such a personal way, let alone sharing it with strangers across the country. The experience unlocked something, and showed me first-hand how films can be the portal to a much deeper, human-to-human connection. I left the financial industry in 2017 to focus on this wild experiment that has become Full Spectrum.” Says Dimon, “I am passionate about the intersection of film and disability, specifically making the exhibition of film as accessible as possible. The ADA was passed thirty-two years ago yet film exhibition remains fairly inaccessible to many audiences and filmmakers with disabilities. It is unacceptable and a hundred-percent fixable if we share our knowledge, resources and collective power to respond to audiences needs and welcome in nearly a quarter of the American population who have historically been left out of the filmgoing experience.”
17 John Crededio, Jr. and Joseph Crededio Partners, Chicago Studio City
Chicago’s prairie expanse isn’t yet overbuilt: alongside elemental warehouse spaces for moving all manner of commerce up and down the highways, studio space is being built at a rate not since the 1990s. Chicago Studio City, run by brothers John Crededio, Jr. and Joe Crededio, is a long-established Chicago production facility, since 1979. Chicago Studio City is a full-service, independent studio featuring multiple soundstages ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 square feet, accompanied by fully furnished production office space. Expansion plans were announced earlier this year, with three new state-of-the-art stages added to the campus. Phase two will include an additional 66,000 square feet of added stage space in 2023. Recent productions include FX’s “Justified: City Primeval” and Apple’s “The Shining Girls.” “Most of my family is involved in the film business,” John told Reel Chicago in May. “Years ago, my grandfather, Daniel Crededio, was a stage electrician, and among the first twenty members of Local 476. My dad, John Crededio, Sr., started as a gaffer. My mom, Delores, was makeup and hair years ago. All three of my dad’s brothers also worked in the union Gino, Ronny and Danny, and his two sisters.”
13 Tim Horsburgh Vice President, National Geographic Documentary Films
Tim Horsburgh spent eleven years working at Kartemquin Films, ending his stint as director of film strategy from 2009-2021. The eclectic duties of that job carry over to his work with National Geographic. “I work on Nat Geo’s feature documentary slate, covering production and distribution for both commissions and acquisitions.” How is this kind of work sustainable? “I would say trust, opportunity, mentorship, collective action. No major secrets. I learned from Gordon Quinn and other mentors at Kartemquin that being generous with your time and constructive with your feedback always benefits both parties, and that the best way to help a filmmaker is by guiding them toward producing the film they are trying to make, rather than imposing your own vision and needs.” Horsburgh has always gotten “a lot of satisfaction out of helping people achieve their goals, and especially in those precious moments when a filmmaker is seeking and finding a creative breakthrough around the production and editing of their work. I love notes sessions and feedback screenings, digging into why a film is making me feel a certain way, what the filmmaker’s intentions are, and how things might get even better if we just tweaked this line or changed this sequence of scenes. I’ve always been interested in the impact art can have and how films reach and affect audiences and provoke discussions. I love studying the industry and trying to guess what will happen next with our field and how filmmakers can strategically respond. I feel very lucky when I can do that as part of my job.” And the new job is very much like the other. “I was at Kartemquin for eleven really wonderful years and then took a big leap during the pandemic to try something new, thinking I would independently produce and consult. Then through a friend, I was told about this opportunity at Nat Geo Doc Films and an hour later I was talking to my future boss. It was very much the right place-right time and I’ve loved pretty much every second. I managed to be a full-time consultant with them while also working on Steve James’ ‘A Compassionate Spy’ and a new film I’m producing from director Joanna Rudnick that should come out next year. (It’s about children’s picture book authors and is just wonderful.) Nat Geo is where I hope to stay, but it does mean that I will have another big change coming, as I’ll be heading to Los Angeles next summer to join the rest of my team.” Chicago was a great base, though. “I was fortunate to have a staff job at a generally stable and beloved organization for most of my career in Chicago. I was always conscious of the privilege of that position when working with independent filmmakers and so tried to ensure filmmaker sustainability was a focus of our advocacy and community-building work. It seems to me that a lot of the paths forward pointed toward emerging filmmakers producing and distributing their work collectively outside of the mainstream mass media, and for local government, educational institutions, foundations and nonprofits to step up in providing support, resources and spaces for filmmakers to collaborate and connect with core audiences. But I also felt that the best work still had to connect with the wider industry and that each time a film broke out because of its quality, that project should be pushed as far as possible and celebrated, because it created a path people could recognize and follow and fund. At Kartemquin, that meant projects like establishing the Hulu Accelerator fellowship following the success and relationships built around ‘Minding the Gap.’ I’m hoping to be part of further development of the documentary ecosystem in that vein now I’m on the other side of things at a large entity.”
Sarah Minnie and Chris Walker/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
12 Elijah McKinnon, Sarah Minnie and Chris Walker Co-Founder/Executive Director, Head of Artist Development/Production and Head of Exhibition/Marketing, OTV | Open Television
Co-founder and CEO Elijah McKinnon says his role at OTV “is to envision a world where intersectional storytellers are unafraid to embrace cultural differences and are empowered to navigate complex systems to ensure their stories are told authentically. “Since co-founding OTV in 2015, I’ve had the privilege of working with artists, filmmakers and storytellers from around the world. A vital component to sustaining a healthy and equitable media ecosystem begins with identifying, activating and mobilizing your power,” he says. “We are all born with special gifts and those gifts bring value to any space that we choose to occupy. In order to repair an industry that has perpetuated so much harm, it is imperative for us to build collective power that is rooted in nourishment, kindness and coalition.” His motivation, he says, comes from “those who are unafraid to be brilliant. At OTV, we are deeply privileged to have cultivated a global community of artists that trust us with the most authentic versions of themselves. It is our duty to champion their creations and celebrate the alternative ecosystems that they are striving to build—a responsibility that we hold with extensive care.” McKinnon describes himself as “an award-winning strategist, entrepreneur and visionary from the future currently residing here on Planet Earth, with you. In a decade-long career, he says, “I have endured many challenges, unbelievable false starts and more failures than I care to count. All of these experiences have awarded me the opportunity to learn, build and share my commitment to developing equitable solutions for the keepers of intersectional stories. OTV’s approach to artist and community development provides a much-needed refuge for storytellers who are hungry for building something that nurtures their holistic being and ultimately contributes to increasing empathy over division. I’ve lived in California, New York, and other media hubs across the globe and the pressure of commercial success makes it difficult to sustain artistic vitality. Chicago and the Midwest create a nourishing environment unlike any other.” As head of artist development and production at OTV, the platform for intersectional pilots and series, producing and exhibiting indie series with Chicago artists, producer-director-editor Sarah Minnie’s role “is to support artists by preparing them to release their film and media into the world. This happens through development programs, project consulting and one-on-one mentorship. The magic I continuously try to sprinkle to the artist and people who work with OTV is leading with love: The industry and the world are tough enough. My role is to uplift our artists; reminding them that they already made a perfect creation and that they have everything they need. It’s so important that intersectional artists are affirmed and celebrated for existing and sowing seeds for continued inspiration.” A key passion lies in “dismantling gatekeeping and harmful structures the film and TV industry deem as traditional. I am passionate about equitable wages, hours and work conditions for filmmakers, especially for intersectional creators. I am passionate about taking care of the people—crew—who take care of the world by supporting the creation of stories that are used as a way to learn, love and escape. The pandemic continues to show us that media is essential to not only learn from but to escape too, it’s a form of connectivity.” Intention is core to her work: “My ability to produce programs, films, and content with intention, is the catalyst for why I am where I am today. ‘Intentional Producing’ is about the act of producing in support of the story and supporting the folks who are needed to create it. Understanding that film and TV are people-based industries is key to creating stories with more impact. This coming year, I plan to share my producing mantra with more indie filmmakers so they can begin to develop their practices that will contribute to the new wave of intersectional storytelling.” Chris Walker is OTV’s head of marketing and exhibition, his role tells the story of OTV and its platform for intersectional artists to share their stories. Empathy is key for Walker. “Empathy is such a valuable skill that is part of everything that we do at OTV. It requires true presence and active listening. You won’t get far in the independent media industry without developing a keen awareness of where people are coming from and where they hope to go. I’m passionate about helping people share their stories. Our culture is shaped by stories, and as a Black person, oral history and storytelling is how culture is passed down through generations. Stories are bridges which inherently lend themselves to connection.”
10 Brenda Robinson Entertainment Attorney/Executive Producer/Investor/Financier/Head of Film Finance and Inclusion Strategies, HiddenLight Productions
Brenda Robinson began her career as an entertainment attorney representing clients in the film, television and music industries. After a successful career in law, she moved over to the creative side as a producer and financier. “I’m currently the board chair of Film Independent, which is based in Los Angeles, and am a proud board member of Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival. I am active in the arts scene here in Chicago and sit on the boards of Steppenwolf Theatre and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as an active member of The Recording Academy and a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).” What’s the secret of her pursuits? “I strongly believe that arts and entertainment institutions need to see themselves as collaborators and not competitors. We are all doing similar work that affects the entire industry. I subscribe to the belief that a rising tide lifts all boats.” Robinson was recently named the first head of film finance and inclusion strategies for Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton’s HiddenLight Productions. Robinson says she is “most passionate about telling stories that have impact. My goal in this industry is to contribute what I can to creating a pipeline of access and opportunity for storytellers. The entertainment industry is very relationship-driven, and beyond having developed a skill set and professional experience, it is important to be a good collaborator. I have focused on building solid partnerships throughout the industry so that my experiences are not transactional but truly meaningful.” The Midwest has even more potential, Robinson believes. “There is a vibrant film community in Chicago and the Midwest of filmmakers, industry executives, philanthropists and engaged audiences that contribute to the sustainability of the film industry in this market. As a Chicago native who has spent time on both coasts learning the business, building partnerships and establishing a presence, my goal has always been to bring as much of those resources back to Chicago as possible so that artists and audiences here have that same access.”
Amir George and Betsy Leonard/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
5 Amir George and Betsy Leonard Artistic Director and Executive Director, Kartemquin Films
Filmmaker and curator Amir George is the new artistic director of Kartemquin Films, only the second in the group’s fifty-six-year history, after co-founder Gordon Quinn. “My job entails supporting filmmakers throughout the process of making their films and leading the artistic vision of the organization. In collaboration with Betsy Leonard and staff, I’m advocating for new storytellers and expanding on the legacy of Kartemquin being a pillar in the documentary film community,” George says. “Being active in the community is essential. Learning from the elders who have laid the foundation. Knowing how you can support others and provide opportunities. Being actively engaged in the community has brought me where I am. Being a filmmaker and working with other filmmakers to get their work out in the world. Now, with Kartemquin I want to continue doing my work in the community and create even more opportunities. The main ingredient for it all is care. I’m passionate about seeing better films in the world, and seeing more films come from Chicago and the Midwest. I’ve always been inspired by pushing the boundaries of where things can go, and who has access to new tools and knowledge. Imagining new ways people can engage with films and more sustainable ways we can create them. With Kartemquin, I want to continue doing relationship-building in the community and creating opportunities for filmmakers who haven’t had them before.” George’s faith lies in the Midwest. “The region thrives on its storytellers and the organizations that exist to support them. Collaboration has been a key factor in my pursuits, and a focus on how we can keep growing for the betterment of ourselves and the next generation of filmmakers.” “With Amir completing our shared leadership, my job is supporting the creative vision of the organization and making connections outside the film industry,” says Kartemquin executive director Betsy Leonard. “My work is all about helping our staff and filmmakers thrive, building a financial base that ensures we can make good on our promise to give access to filmmakers historically excluded from independent documentary, and making sure people understand that telling nuanced stories on a variety of topics contributes to an engaged electorate, shared experiences in an increasingly divided country, and that systems change.” A thriving community is also essential, she says. “Any one of us with a credit behind our name, an award on our shelf, or power of position has to be working to combat inequity and the scarcity reality for most filmmakers. Communication, connection and care are the lifeblood of community. I find the Midwest to be particularly rich in connection and collaboration.” And Leonard says we need more collaborators. “I worked for decades doing social justice and human rights work before coming to Kartemquin, and I recognized that those spaces were designed so that I could thrive as a white woman. I realized later in life that I didn’t get ahead on merit and drive alone, so I’ve spent the last five-plus years doing corrective action. My work is about getting rid of barriers so more people can lead, influence, and be sustained, whether that’s as a creative or other professional. In a year, Kartemquin will be a sustaining professional home for even more filmmakers and the stories they tell will make us smarter, richer, and more connected. Creative partnerships inside and outside the industry are powerful, especially when they create pathways for work and sustaining careers. But I think we have to ask ourselves, ‘Sustainable for whom?’ Most independent filmmakers cannot make a living or career in documentaries. We need more transformational funding and partnerships. Philanthropy is shifting to support more filmmakers of color, people with disabilities, and others who have historically been excluded, and this is long overdue. We also need more film funds, especially for mid-career filmmakers, without extractive demands. City and state dollars to support arts and media can go a long way, especially when seen as a means for workforce development, attracting talent for local corporations, and creating a thriving civic space.”
1 Ashley Rice and Eoin Egan President/Co-Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer/Co-Managing Partner, Cinespace Studios
Ashley Rice and Eoin Egan oversee the studio’s expansion and investment in additional markets. Egan oversees all studio operations and production services for Cinespace Studios in Toronto and Chicago, while Rice focuses on client and government relations and marketing and public relations, as well as CineCares, a division dedicated to supporting the communities where CInespace operates, and establishing initiatives to promote equity and inclusion through education and job training. “Film and TV production has matured into a sustainable and fulfilling career choice for many people who have recently entered the industry,” says Egan. “There are three ingredients essential to a strong film and TV industry. Great facilities, strong and stable tax incentives, and a dedicated and talented workforce. We are working alongside our industry partners and community leaders to create new opportunities in the local film and TV industry through workforce development.” Egan grew up in Ireland and was on film sets “at a very early age working as an extra or helping out in the art department where my dad worked. I continue to get excited when I’m on set or near production. I have worked in other industries, but the collaboration involved in film and television is unique, and once you get that buzz it is very hard to do anything else outside of our business.” Rice was first on a set when she was eleven years old. “I got the bug for production after seeing the dynamic work environment. My first job was as a producer’s assistant, and the first assistant director took me under her wing and pulled me into her department. I learned how the ecosystem of writers, director, cast and crew come together to make great content. It was an education in the circus, and gave me the basis to understand the industry and the on-the-ground training helped me excel in my career as an executive.” Where will Cinespace be in a year? “Cinespace will be working with the state and local government to ensure that Illinois is competitive for content creators and support the development of a workforce that is robust and contributing to change.” Egan says that “the crew base in Chicago is very impressive and well-respected in the industry. The production landscape is incredibly competitive, and producers continue to look at other states like Georgia, New Mexico, New York and New Jersey when planning production. It’s important that we increase the production-incentive sunset and keep training crew members with a focus on diversity.” Rice says that the film and television industry continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. “Cinespace is dedicated to supporting initiatives for education and workforce development within our communities to create visible pathways to strong, stable, well-paid and benefited jobs within our industry. There is no comparison to hands-on training and marrying it with practical experience is essential for success,” she says. “I’ve been a part of the TV and film production industry professionally for more than thirty years. Entertainment serves us all with great joy and I want to continue supporting content creation, filmmakers and working directly with organizations within our community to support change.” Egan says that “working in this industry doesn’t feel like a 9-to-5 job. I started in production as a part of the crew, then went on to become a producer and now an executive. I love what I do and want to support our productions in Chicago.”
Hall of Fame MAKERS—Producers, Crew & Production Services
* new this year
*Nicole Bernardi-Reis Independent film producer
*Jonathan Bross and * Mike Nehs Partners, Periscope Post and Audio
Aymar Jean Christian Co-Founder OTV | Open Television and Director, Media and Data Equity (MADE) Lab, Northwestern University
Chaz Ebert President, The Ebert Company, Ebert Digital, Ebert Productions; Publisher, RogerEbert.com/Chairman of the Board, The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation/ Co-Founder and Producer, Ebertfest
*Chris Johnson Owner, Founder, Johnsonese Brokerage
*Thomas Leavens Partner, Mandell Menkes and Co-Founder, Lawyers for the Creative Arts
Eugene Sun Park Executive Director, Full Spectrum Features
* Mickie Paskal and * Jennifer Rudnicke Casting Directors, Paskal Rudnicke Casting
Gigi Pritzker Film Producer,/Philanthropist/ Founder, Madison Wells
Gordon Quinn Founding Artistic Director, Senior Advisor, Kartemquin Films
Ray Pride is Newcity’s film critic and a contributing editor to Filmmaker magazine.
His multimedia history of Chicago “Ghost Signs” will be published soon. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram as Ghost Signs Chicago. More photography on Instagram.
Film 50 2022: SELECTORS—Programmers & Festival Producers Behind the scenes of what constitutes "film"—industry and community, in Chicago and the Midwest—is circle upon circle, an ecstasy of Venn diagrams…programmers shaping history by presenting vital work.
Film 50 2022: PROJECTORS—Exhibitors & Archivists
