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AICP’s Midwest Chapter is about to kick off a series of events for the local ad and production community that will provide opportunities for professional development, learning and networking. The slate is the product of planning and strategizing by the chapter’s new board, which was elected to their positions late last year and which includes a strong representation from the region’s post production community. 

First up on the Midwest Chapter events calendar will be the AICP Production Training Seminar, set for the weekend of April 13 /14 at Panavision Chicago. Registration is limited, and more information can be found on the AICP web site here.  

The seminar, which covers the basics of the commercial production process, has attracted attention from people not just in the production ranks, notes Midwest Chapter President Lisa Masseur of Tessa Films, but increasingly from the agency and client sides of the business.  

Next up, on Thursday, April 25, the Chapter will be hosting another of its long-running Meet.Drink.Talk. networking events. These have been a staple of AICP Midwest for years, and mirror the events AICE used to hold under the heading Bar Night.  

Meet.Drink.Talk. will include a benefit aspect this year that will aid the Adoption Center of Illinois, according to Board Member Qadree Holmes of Quriosity Productions. Attendees are asked to bring a toy or book for any child from infancy through 16 years old, and cash donations are also being accepted. For more information on donating to the Adoption Center, please click here.  

Open to anyone in the industry, Masseur says attending Meet.Drink.Talk. provides a chance for production crews to get to know the agency folks they collaborate with on a regular basis. Details on this event will be posted soon to the Midwest Chapter page on the AICP web site, found here.  

On Saturday, May 4, the Chapter will be holding its 2019 Production Assistants Seminar. This comprehensive, one-day session will be held at Essanay Studio and Lighting and has a registration deadline of April 24. For detailed information and eligibility requirements, please visit the event page here.  

The spring activities culminates with the presentation of the 2019 AICP Post Awards, set for Thursday, May 16 at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. Tickets for the presentation are now on sale and can be reserved on the AICP web site.  

“Fresh Air” at the Chapter Board
Masseur’s role at the Chapter represents a passing of the torch from one of AICP’s long-time leaders, Story’s Mark Androw, who stepped down as Chapter President last year. Masseur, who was Vice President, succeeded Androw, and then was elected to start a new term in January. She also serves as the Chapter representative to AICP’s National Board.   

She says the introduction of members of the post production community to the chapter here has “breathed new life into our association. We’re all fighting the same battles, so it’s great to be able to work together.”  

Holmes points out that with changes taking place in the industry, the combination of production and post companies in one trade group is the proverbial no-brainer. Increasingly, AICP members are companies that do both production and post, such as his studio, Quriosity. “Bringing both sides together simply mirrors what’s happening in the marketplace,” he notes. “It puts all of us on the same page, and puts all the issues on the table at one time.”  

Adds Board Member Mary Caddy of The Colonie, “I know the post production people are excited to be seeing all of this coming together on the chapter level. The community here has always been closely knit, and the old AICE Chicago Chapter was one of the most active in the association. Now that we’re expanding what we used to do and including people from the production side, everyone is learning.”  

With the planning for the AICP Post Awards well underway, The Mill’s Laurie Adrianopoli, who’s also on the Midwest Board, says the competition’s revamping of its categories to better match how work is being done in the areas of VFX, design, animation and particularly color has been a boon. “It was nice reaching out to the artist community to get feedback on how to shape these new categories, too,” she adds. “We got lots of diverse views involved, and that always helps.”