The Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition 2007

Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21
The Music Box Theatre
3733 N. Southport
With a special screening on July 19

A new, unique event that spotlights comedy TV pilots made by Chicagoans!

Concurrent with the 10th anniversary of The Chicago Short Comedy Video and Film Festival is this new event, The Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition, which represents a partnership between the shorts festival and The Chicago Film Office. One of the first TV pilot competitions in the country, and unique in that it is restricted to comedy, this event is designed to showcase pilots of 20-30 minutes, based on original ideas by Chicagoans. The jury includes TV executives from ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in Hollywood, as well as from Comedy Central. Among the pilots is Cop Show by noted actor and improvisor David Pasquesi and celebrated playwright/actor Tracy Letts (his play Bug was recently made into a movie by William Friedkin), and Flocked, starring Peter Grosz, a writer for The Colbert Report. The 8:45 p.m. shows feature short talks by Chicagoans acclaimed for their creative local comedy TV shows.

Shows on July 20 and 21 at 8:45 p.m. and 10: 30 p.m. – Admission price is $10 per show (See bottom of page for details on multi-show discount passes – three shows for $25)

Friday, July 20       8:45 p.m.

Eight-time Emmy winner Ben Hollis is the original host and co-creator/co-producer of WTTW-11’s long-running series Wild Chicago, whose sequel show, Wild Chicago’s Illinois Road Trip, he now hosts. He’s also well-known for his popular local TV shows Ben Loves Chicago (WPWR-50) and Ben Around Town (WYCC-20), and as a reporter for WLS-7’s show 190 North. During his career, Ben has taught and directed improv at the Players Workshop of Second City, performed improv and standup, fronted a satirical rock and roll band, and written and produced corporate and privately commissioned videos (benhollis.com). His critically acclaimed CD, Live Your Life (2003), showcases Ben’s talents as a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Ben will discuss his experiences in comedy, and his opinions about TV in Chicago.

Things Happen in Beemis, Monsters from the id, 23 min.
As American as apple pie and payola!

Cop Show, David Pasquesi and Tracy Letts, 25 min.
How to fight crime without really trying.

Fang, Make Believe Productions, 27 min.
Ghouls rush in.

Friday, July 20       10:30 p.m.

Pitch Man, David Miller, 30 min.
Searching for love and solvency.

Marry Me Tony D, Vito Brancato, 30 min.
Trouble in the neighborhood.

Bowl of Cherries, Marty Schousboe, 30 min.
His life is the pits.

Saturday, July 21       8:45 p.m.

Mike Schmiedeler, VP/Production at Chicago’s Towers Productions, and Second City alums Al Samuels and Kevin Fleming will describe the origin and development of their comedy show, Sports Action Team, which premiered in September 2006 on NBC. The faux sports news show, mostly improvised, features creative producers Al and Kevin as inept sports anchors, with celebrity athletes joining in on the fun. Mike joined Towers Productions, the city’s largest production company, in 1999. As VP/Production since 2003, he oversees the many documentary and other shows Towers produces for NBC, CNN, The History Channel, A&E, PBS, and The National Geographic Channel. Al, who has performed on the Second City Mainstage, is a founding member of the group Baby Wants Candy and also owner of a Chicago company, Spark Creative, that delivers team-building and leadership workshops at companies and universities. Kevin has been (and continues to perform) at IO with the long running ensemble Deep Schwa and with group Baby Wants Candy.., and has had roles on several radio shows: The Kevin and T.J. Show on Chicago’s WSCR-AM, and Sporting News Radio’s Murray in the Morning.

Green's Nursery, Jake Jarvi, 24 min.
They specialize in the unusual.

Tips, Newlanta Films, 24 min.
Something’s simmering, and it’s not the chili…

Flocked, Group Films, 21 min.
He relieves them of their worldly possessions.

Saturday, July 21       10:30 p.m.

Reynolds Influence, AKA Media, 25 min.
Something to offend everyone.

Wingmen, Rising Productions, 30 min.
Culture warriors.

Being Civil, Paul Thomas and Jeff Madden, 25 min.
Friends or foes?

Produced by Marion Sours, (312) 642-2156

in partnership with The Chicago Film Office, (312) 744-6415

Information on concurrent event, The Chicago Short Comedy Video and Film Festival, can be viewed on this web-site.

Ticket information for all shows on July 20 and 21:
Tickets can be purchased at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport, on July 20 and 21 (box office opens at noon on those days). Credit card orders accepted before the event (through noon of show date) at TicketWeb, (866) 468-3401 or on-line at www.ticketweb.com. Specify the name of festival, day, and 7:00, 8:45 or 10:30 p.m. show when ordering. Admission is $10 per individual show; a three-show discount pass of $25 (for shows on same day) is available both at the theater and in advance via TicketWeb. There is a public parking lot at Blaine Elementary School, one block north of theater on Southport.

Thursday, July 19 at The Chicago Cultural Center Theater
78 E. Washington St.
The Chicago-made comedy short The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend and the pilot made from the idea by 20th Century Fox TV.

Screenings at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.

The theme of ideas for comedy shows originating in Chicago is illustrated by the screening of the Chicago-made 16-minute comedy film The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend, directed in 2005 by Jason Winer, followed by the 23-minute pilot of the same name made in Hollywood by 20th Century Fox TV. Jason Winer, a graduate of Northwestern University, directed, wrote and starred in the 2005 film, along with co-writer and co-star Hayes MacArthur. Their idea was purchased by Fox that same year and the pilot was completed in 2006. The screenplay was written by Winer, MacArthur, Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia, and the pilot was directed by Dennie Gordon, with Winer and MacArthur again starring in the lead roles. There will be two screenings on July 19 of the original comedy short, followed by the Fox pilot – at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets are free. They may be picked up at the Cultural Center Theater after 5 p.m. on July 19.

Note: this theater is not as large as The Music Box, so early pick-up of tickets is advised.

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