Grace McPhillips, Rich Moskal & Todd Lizak, Illinois Film Industry Leaders
Chicago New Media Summit : Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 : 9:30 am : The Illinois Film Industry
The Talk: Grace McPhillips (IPA), Rich Moskal (CFO), Todd Lizak (IFO), will provide a status review of Chicago as a media production center—what works and why; how we compete; our projections for the future.
Grace McPhillips, Board Member, The Illinois Production Alliance
The IPA began in 2001 to bring our visual media community together to speak with one voice about broad industry related issues that affect every sector. At that time, the state was experiencing a sharp decline in visual media business and it was realized that this community needed to unify if it was to affect positive change. Soon after the founding members came together, the White Paper titled “Creating Visual Media in Illinois” was commissioned, which detailed all areas of production in the state of Illinois and our solutions for growth.
Bio: Grace McPhillips is a full-time actress, producer, and activist for the film industry in Chicago. She runs the Chicago Acting in Film Meetup Group and serves on the IPA’s Board of Directors.
On CNMS: "I hope CNMS helps bring the Chicago Media Industry together to ignite a new passion for the encouragement and development of more work in Illinois."
Rich Moskal, The Chicago Film Office
The Chicago Film Office leads the city’s effort to attract and facilitate feature film, television, commercial and all forms of visual media production.
BIO: Rich Moskal has served as director of the Chicago Film Office since 1996. In that time, more than 700 feature films and network television productions have been made in Chicago generating $975 million in local revenue. Previously, Moskal was a project manager for the Illinois Film Office as well as a location manager for more than a dozen feature films and movies for television.
On CNMS: As existing geographical boundaries of conventional production centers melt away, where content is “made” and who is doing the “making” have seen stratospheric shifts. I really believe Chicago is poised to take advantage of the open borders.
Todd Lizak, The Illinois Film Office
The Illinois Film Office is dedicated to advancing our state's reputation as a world-class film destination. The Illinois Film Office promotes and markets the state as an ideal shooting location for films, television shows and commercials. The IFO also promotes and encourages the training and hiring of Illinois residents who represent the diversity of the state's population. We provide studios and production companies with an array of services including location scouting, tax credit assistance and information hotlines.
Bio: Todd has been with the Illinois Film Office since 1998. As Planning and Production Manager, he works closely with film, television and commercial producers. Todd is involved with all IFO special events promoting the growth of the film industry in our state. He oversees the locations department, and acts as the housing liaison for productions coming into town as well. He has traveled worldwide attending various Film Festivals, trade-shows and other film and government related functions.
In addition to his busy schedule with the IFO, Todd is a planner for the Chicago chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP) and is the First Vice- President of the Board of Directors for the organization. Todd also sits on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The Chicago Film Critics Awards and is a member of the Independent Feature Project and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers.