What it Takes to Bring a Movie to Chicago

Your Brand Ought to Be in Movies . . . Or Should It?

MODERATOR

John Iltis
President, John Iltis Associates

PANELISTS

Brenda Sexton
Managing Director, Illinois Film Office

George Simkowski
President, Let’s Go Hollywood (product placements firm)

Ellyn Nugent
Manager of Special Events, Field Museum

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Speakers at the March PCC lunch meeting (from left): John Iltis (moderator), Brenda Sexton, Ellyn Nugent, George Simkowski. (Photo by Ted Lacey)

By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

How often have you seen a movie and noticed a brand name soft drink or piece of electronic equipment? Accident? Hardly. Product placement has become a big industry and the panelists for the March PCC luncheon have an intimate knowledge of how the process works. Moderator John Ilitis has been working in the movie industry since the mid-1960s.

John Ilitis

Starting his career in public relations and advertising working with movie theatres and well known groups and personalities, John Iltis has a vast range of experience in the movie industry. One of his projects, through Brenda Sexton, involved featuring the stars of Whale Rider at the Field Museum, using an existing native American setting as a compelling visual for the press event.

John reminded the attendees that if you want to use specific cityscapes for a film, you should contact the Illinois Film Office for information on permits. However, there is also a great deal of stock footage of the city that is available.

Ellyn Nugent

Just prior to the unveiling of the world’s most complete tyrannosaurus dinosaur, “Sue,” Ellyn Nugent joined the special events department of the Field Museum. As account manager, she has handled more than 45 events annually and now oversees the museum’s corporate member events, as well as being the primary contact for film, television, and other onsite filming.

“We are always eager to rent out the museum for outside galas and events,” said Nugent. “The Field Museum is a private building on public land. In granting permission to film, we put a tremendous amount of effort into considering issues involving special interest groups. No one can photograph the museum without permission and the Field Museum reserves the right to review the footage.”

Movies receiving permission to film at the Museum are generally filmed at night so we minimize disruption and don’t interfere with daytime visitors. The film “The Relic” was filmed almost exclusively at the museum, and was shot during non-museum hours.

“Since people are not visiting museum in the numbers they once were,” said Nugent, “renting out the museum for films and other special events is another source of revenue.”

George Simkowski

When Chicago native and president of “Let’s Go Hollywood,” George Simkowski, was employed by a firm that manufactured tape recorders, a Hollywood friend of his asked George if they could borrow two tape recorders from his company for a Bob Hope movie called Bachelor in Paradise. Tape recorders figured prominently in the film’s plot. When movie goers saw that Bob Hope was using this brand of tape recorder, sales sky rocketed. George now believes that he began the trend of product placement in movies. He recognized the potential of product placement and changed careers, and has been a product placement specialist for more than 30 years. .

George provides full service to film makers, as result of his long standing relationships with the movie making community. He has placed many branded products in television shows and movies for a variety of clients. “You have to know the prop masters and who to talk to, besides reading the script,” he said. He also admitted that some locations and products have declined being used, based on how they will be used in the script.

One of his real coups was on behalf of his client Budget trucks. When he heard that the hit film Home Alone needed a rental truck for a film, he persuaded the prop master to substitute Budget for a competing rental truck brand. He nailed the change over by providing the trucks no change. When the film was released, Budget rentals soared.

If you are considering having your location or product included in a film, George is a good contact. However, his services carry a fee.

Brenda Sexton

Since being appointed to head the Illinois Film Office in 2003, Brenda Sexton has achieved great success in bringing films and television filming back to Chicago. Her job is to promote Illinois in general and Chicago in particular. She learned the value of creating a good buzz.

Sexton has developed good relationships with the Hollywood film community and tries to ensure that Chicago and Illinois are considered for any film or TV shows being filmed. She works closely with location scouts, who are the primary contacts.

Many film companies have tight budgets. Locations may or may not charge for their use. According to Sexton, there is no charge for using any state facilities if they do not use tax dollars, however some locations do charge for guards, heating, air conditioning, etc. It is up to the city to decide to charge or not charge. The Illinois Film Office has a locations library which includes a list of locations available at little or no charge.

For additional information on how to work with the Illinois Film Office, contact Brenda Sexton at bsexton@ildceo.net or by calling 312-894-3600.

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(Index to articles about monthly luncheons)