Here are Chicago’s PROJECTORS—Exhibitors & Archivists
40 Olivia Babler Digitization Manager, Chicago Film Archives
In Chicago, films get made but films also get saved. Since 2017, Olivia Babler has been the digitization manager at Chicago Film Archives, the nonprofit dedicated to preserving the film heritage of the Midwest. “At CFA, I’m primarily responsible for creating digital surrogates of our analogue collection items, but I am typically involved in most of the steps along the way toward preserving a film: inventorying, inspecting, repairing, rehousing, researching, cataloging and curating,” Babler says. “We have this amazing collection of about 35,000 films, most of which are non-theatrical gems… Super 8 amateur horror films by Illinois teens, wacko industrial films about spark plugs, local news stories about livestock, and home movies of families goofing off and getting drunk. Our small team—myself, Becca Hall, Justin Dean and executive director Nancy Watrous—is extremely passionate about collecting and sharing the weird, wonderful, underseen and uniquely Midwestern films that come through our doors. The biggest joys of this work have been things like helping Chicagoans regain access to their family’s home movies through digitization and Home Movie Day events, working with local legend Tom Palazzolo on preserving his collection, and sharing the work of amazing Chicago amateur filmmakers JoAnn Elam and Margaret Conneely with new audiences.”
Sara Chapman/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
29 Sara Chapman Executive Director, Media Burn Archive
“The work of running a nonprofit arts organization is one where you wear every kind of hat imaginable,” says Sara Chapman, executive director of the Media Burn Archive, founded in 2003 by local video pioneer Tom Weinberg. “On a given day, I might be meeting with a filmmaker to create a public program of their work, then writing a grant application to support it, then opening a bunch of boxes of newly donated videotapes to see what treasures might have been forgotten for thirty years, then running to Home Depot to buy more shelving. No task is too big or too small! The guiding force is a desire to find cool stuff and get to show it to people.” Chapman is excited by “uncovering under-seen and underappreciated works of media art and bringing them to wide audiences. As a society, our canon of important mediamakers has naturally been influenced by what people had access to. And that means that there are important gems out there from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that simply haven’t gotten attention because they weren’t distributed widely. It is so exciting to me to meet these people and help them preserve their work and get it out to the public on a scale that wasn’t possible before. Recently, we’ve worked with the New York City-based filmmaker Julie Gustafson to digitize and distribute her incredibly powerful feminist works from the 1970s, including “Politics of Intimacy,” a piece in which women openly discuss sex, sexuality and gender. Not only is it politically important, but if you watch it, you’ll be mystified as to how it hasn’t been in the canon of seminal independent films for the past fifty years. That’s just a single example of creators, primarily women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ people, whose brilliant work was overlooked in their era and by history, but whose reputation is growing because of Media Burn.” Elevating work from the Midwest is key, too. “Artists in the Midwest are used to second-tier status, and with that lower status comes fewer opportunities for funding and high-profile showcases. There’s an automatic prejudice that work will be less good if made by someone who chooses not to live in New York or Los Angeles. The flip-side of that perception is that Midwestern artists and organizations have been forced to be much more creative and efficient in how they create and distribute work. We are churning out incredible amounts of work for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. We are also much more reliant on our community than in other places, and that has created a rich network of people who care about each other and each other’s work, and will show up to help or promote in ways not possible in larger cities.”
22 Dean Kerasotes, Tony Kerasotes and Fred Meyers Co-Owner, Executive Chairman/Co-Owner and CEO, Kerasotes Showplace Icon Theatres
Fred Meyers, CEO of Showplace Icon Theatres, notes that the Kerasotes enterprise was founded 113 years ago in Illinois. “We embrace our Midwest roots,” Meyers says. “The arts and entertainment community continues to be an important part of Chicago’s culture, and movies are a vital part of it. Over the past several decades, the moviegoing experience has evolved and we are at the forefront of that evolution, and have always been, including today, as our theaters offer state-of-the-art amenities and technologies such as heated recliner seats, restaurant-quality food and beverage offerings delivered to seat, and pre-reserved seat selection. We maintain the absolute best audio and visual movie experience that can’t be replicated in the home or on devices: our theater offers 4K Laser projection, Dolby Atmos sound and wall-to-wall screen sizes. My work, fundamentally, is ensuring vision and successful strategies exist and are aligned throughout the company. My success has always been about the quality of the team working with me and each other. Personally, hard-work, resiliency, and a people-first approach will always be keys to future success.” The “secrets” are simple, he says. “We need to offer a safe, clean, and high-quality operation where guests gather and share the communal experiences that movies offer. ‘Secrets’ are really that secret! It’s building a team of passionate, talented, and results-driven leaders within all levels of our company. I’m inspired through helping others to grow and achieve. Also, with a love of movies and going to the movies, I am passionate about enhancing the movie-going experience by instilling a hospitality-mindset among our team.”
19 Karen Cardarelli Executive Director, FACETS and Board of Directors, Film Festival Alliance
FACETS is nearly fifty years old, and the programming, fundraising and operations of the nonprofit organization founded by Milos Stehlik in 1975 is now supervised by executive director Karen Cardarelli. The organization recently completed its first strategic plan, which included committing a portion of resources to administer a formal coalition: the Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals. Executive leadership in a film organization, Cardarelli says, “requires a lot of strategic planning and audience observation as we adjust to post-COVID shifts in how people engage with cinema. Now more than ever, it’s critical to have a wide variety of voices in the room. Right now, I’m most passionate about helping the community connect for a meaningful purpose, such as the new Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals and all the ways we will add to the cultural and economic vitality of our neighborhoods. People want to be a part of making important things happen, they just need to be welcomed in.” Cardarelli spent twenty years producing theater for young audiences at Emerald City Theatre. “When the FACETS position opened, I was intrigued at the thought of helping grow the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival–such a gem! And serving on the League of Chicago Theatres board has given me insight on how to translate those efforts to the film festival community. I see the next year as a chance to innovate the way film festivals and independent cinemas support our communities.” But it also comes back to movies, and thinking about the movies. “Your experience with a film isn’t complete until you’ve had a conversation about it. It’s within those conversations we gain understanding and perspective. And joy. Or maybe frustration. Great art makes you feel.” Because of that, she says, “The ingredients of sustainability and need are all right there–they just need to be brought into focus.”
Chris Johnson/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
11 Chris Johnson CEO/Owner, Classic Cinemas
Chris Johnson is the CEO, president and owner of Classic Cinemas, the largest Illinois-based theater chain, with 137 screens in sixteen locations, second only to AMC. “Our latest theater in La Grange was built in 1925 and fits perfectly with our other Classic Cinemas built in the 1920s and 1930s,” Johnson says. “A well-maintained hundred-year-old building with all the latest technology only amplifies the moviegoing experience. While we have newer theaters, we work hard to create the classic moviegoing experience at all our locations. Our employees wear white dress shirts and bow-ties, we offer mints when you leave, and offer free refills on popcorn and soft drinks. We also have a thirty-minute guarantee, but hardly anyone takes advantage of it.” Johnson loves the scale of movies on a big screen: “There is nothing more exciting than a sell-out or a hard-to-get ticket. Scarcity elevates the ‘want-to-see’ and buzz surrounding a show. With the right promotion, even a small movie can achieve outsized results by only playing on a certain day or time, especially if anyone associated with the film is present or you have a moderator leading a discussion. On a large scale, would ‘Hamilton’ have been as big of a cultural happening if it played everywhere all at once? Going to a movie theater is the original social media; it is about community and creating memories, and that’s why it isn’t going away.” He’s also involved in voluntary work to sustain the industry, serving on the Executive Board of The National Association of Theatre Owners and NATO’s technology committee. He’s also the president of The National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois and a regional vice-president of the National Association of Concessionaires, based in Chicago and a board member of NATO of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. “I advocate for my fellow exhibitors and work to improve the industry as a whole. On the studio and filmmaker side, I want to help them understand the benefits of a theatrical release,” Johnson says. “Aside from the immersive experience, which lacks a pause button—a good thing!—opening a film theatrically benefits all the ancillary markets and stakeholders. My second goal is to help my fellow exhibitors by monitoring legislation and helping elevate their presentations and operations. Successful theatrical releases and theaters mean more movies will be made, more stories told, and more voices heard.”
Rebecca Lyon and Buck LePard/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
Lisa Holmes/Photo: Sally Blood (Sandy Morris)
8 Lisa Holmes, Buck LePard and Rebecca Lyon Head of Home Entertainment, Music Box Films and Marketing Manager and Assistant Technical Director/Marketing Coordinator, Music Box Theatre
Music Box Films head of home entertainment Lisa Holmes is always “looking for the best opportunities for our films to give them a long post-theatrical afterlife, and looking for films and series that we can acquire for Music Box Films Home Entertainment to supplement our theatrical release slate,” she says. Holmes doesn’t just work with familiar platforms like Amazon, Vudu and AppleTV, but is on the lookout for opportunities with broadcasters, airlines, educational outlets and physical goods outlets as well. Holmes says sustainability for her industry “comes down to that difficult balance of knowing your company or brand, understanding your audience, and staying aware of all the cultural and market forces changing at any given time while trying to attract new audiences. All while trying to make the best fiscal decisions you can for you and your filmmakers! For the home entertainment side of our business, we have a little bit more leeway in what we can release with regards to quantity as well as what would be considered taste. A film can be a great home entertainment release and not necessarily be right for theaters, and the proliferation of streaming only broadens those opportunities. It is an ongoing conversation here at Music Box Films.” Holmes didn’t grow up in a big city. “We did not have access to a year-round art-house theater. You had to work harder and wait a lot longer as a consumer to find those voices and world views. Now home entertainment is a great equalizer and I am absolutely passionate about helping the films we release from around the world find their audience. The idea that anyone is able to watch one of our films anywhere in the country truly brings me joy.” But that doesn’t mean Chicago can be taken for granted. “It is incumbent upon us in the home entertainment distribution industry here in Chicago to work harder to support Chicago- and Midwestern-based films and filmmakers from all walks of life. It does seem like we go through cycles of talent drains here as people leave for Los Angeles or New York, and it would be nice to be a part of an ecosphere that keeps talent here. The Music Box Theatre has done a great job over the years of supporting local talent, and we are finally starting to step up more on the Music Box Films side. I’m keeping my eyes and ears open for more!” Music Box Theatre marketing manager Buck LePard heads up marketing and promotions at the Music Box Theatre, which includes Facebook and Twitter accounts, trade promotions and customer outreach, as well as having a hand in their film programming and special events. LePard’s been there fourteen years, and from that vantage, he sees “variety and quality are the two components that have kept the Music Box thriving. I like to say that if you look at our film calendar, you probably won’t like everything we are showing, but you will find something you like. We want to offer our audiences the opportunity to seek our familiar comforts but challenge them with something that may be outside their wheelhouse.” Plus, he says, “We want a visit to the Music Box to be a unique, memorable experience, the classic moviegoing experience. Anytime we make modifications to the space, like technical improvements, our new marquee, or adding the new concessions stand and lounge several years back, we want to make sure it complements our aesthetic, and doesn’t compromise what folks have loved about us over the decades. When you’re watching a movie, you’re sharing an experience with everyone else who has ever watched that movie. Being one of the voices behind the Music Box’s social media lets me connect directly with our audience. Hearing from folks who have fond memories of us from years or decades ago, or receiving a message from someone who is moving away and will miss us, reminds me that what we offer has a lasting impact. Movies aren’t going away anytime soon, and as long as we can keep reaching people with the message that the best way to see movies are on the big screen, we’ll be okay. And having an amazing front-of-house and projection staff makes it all possible.” Music Box assistant technical director Rebecca Lyon has been a projectionist around Chicago for over a decade, and started at the Music Box in 2008. “We screen basically every digital video and film format there is, including 16mm, 35mm, 70mm and DCP. If you’ve been to a Sunday matinee in the past ten years, I was probably up in the projection booth! In addition to working projection shifts, I do a lot of the ‘making sure all the movies have shown up,’ inspecting, making DCPs for our non-studio rentals, training staff, testing films in advance of screenings. The Music Box is in operation constantly, even when we’re closed to the public, so just making sure we have the films for each week and that they all play correctly is a lot to stay on top of. I’m also on call if our technical director, the amazing Julian Antos, is unavailable. The projectionist staff needs to be able to call someone if they’re having any kind of technical issue, and this is true seven days a week and from 10am-2am on the weekends. One of the hardest parts of the job is knowing that even on your day off, chances are high that someone is gonna call at any hour and be like, ‘Um, the projector is making a weird noise.’ I’ve gone straight from a best friend’s wedding to work a projection shift, fancy clothes and all. I always had multiple part-time projection jobs simultaneously, which is really, really common for projectionists. Projection work requires a really weird skill set that can take years for someone to learn but for complicated reasons, there’s not really a great system in place that enables people to do it as a career. What happens is a lot of great, skilled projectionists just get burned out and leave and get replaced by younger people, rinse and repeat. But Chicago has a pretty great projection community that knows each other and talks to each other. I and a lot of my peers (especially at the Chicago Film Society where I also work) have really advocated over the years for projection work to be taken seriously and to be seen as something that’s really integral to being a functioning cinema,” Lyon says. “I also do some repertory programming for the theater, mostly for matinee series, I run our wildly popular Instagram account, and like most people there I change a lot of lightbulbs and clean a lot of windows.” What sustains the Music Box and its community? “I try to be a little snobby with regard to any marketing or social media work I do for the Music Box, and I’m always surprised at how bad the latter often is for film organizations, especially since marketing jobs tend to pay more than say, projection ones! Still, the Music Box has so much personality it’s sort of an easy job. It’s a really meaningful place and special place to a lot of people, and I have ninety-plus years of history to draw on. Also it’s beautiful, I’ve probably taken a hundred photos of the way the light comes into the lobby late in the afternoon. Priceless! I’m much less snobby with regard to programming work. The Music Box has really shown everything over the years and we have all kinds of audiences, so just because I don’t like something, doesn’t mean it won’t be of interest to others. When I put together a series I try to sneak in a few films that I know in my heart are going to be stinkers even though I love them. We need to make money, of course, but we also want to be a place that enables people to see cinema of all kinds and if you have enough popular titles in a series they can, I hope, carry most of the water.”
Hall of Fame PROJECTORS—Exhibitors & Archivists
* new this year
*Brian Andreotti, * Ryan Oestreich and William Schopf Director of Programming, Music Box Theatre/Head of Acquisitions, Music Box Films; General Manager, Music Box Theatre; CEO/Owner, Music Box Theatre/ President, Music Box Films
* Jean de St. Aubin Executive Director, The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute
*Nancy Watrous Founder, Executive Director, Chicago Film Archives
*Brenda Webb Executive Director, Chicago Filmmakers and Features Co-Programmer, Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
Film 50 2022: MEDIA—Publishers, Critics and Publicists
