Having a hard time dealing with the absence of All My Children on ABC? Then buy your ticket to A Tribute to Pine Valley and ask the cast of your favorite soap opera all the questions you’ve been waiting to ask for years! All My Children was an amazing and ground breaking soup opera that was filled with as many characters as there are people on the streets of Chicago, and now’s your chance to meet the cast.

Aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011, All My Children (AMC) was the story of the people of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. AMC was filled with heart breaks, death, disease, doubt, jealousy and revelations and entertained millions of viewers internationally. The show itself has won 33 Daytime Emmy awards, while its performers pulled in 30 Daytime Emmys. In its first season AMC ranked the #1 daytime show in America, and during most of the 80’s and early 90’s it held the #2 spot for most popular daytime show.

Now’s your chance to get up close and personal with six of your favorite Pine Valley citizens. Jackson, Kendall, Jesse, Ryan, David and JR will be at the Rosemont Theatre on January 15^th to reveal secrets, share never-been-told stories, and provide AMC trivia to get you back into Pine Valley. Tickets are only $125 and can be purchased here. The trip down memory lane starts at 3pm and runs for two hours, and will be followed up by an autograph and photo session that will go until 7:30pm. You’re only going to get one shot to meet and chat with your favorite AMC stars. Don’t miss it!

Wanjiku Kairu

Watch out, IMAX.  Chicago’s winter skyline is about to become a giant movie screen. On Friday, December 9, The Art Institute of Chicago, supported by the Graham Foundation for Advance Studies in the Fine Arts, will beam Andy Warhol’s celebrated conceptual film “Empire” onto the top 12 stories of the Aon Center to mark the opening of the museum’s new photography exhibition, Light Years: Conceptual Art and the Photograph 1964-1977.

Shot in one, continuous take over the course of a single evening in 1964, Warhol’s silent footage of the Empire State Building observes the famed structure over a period of several hours from dusk to nightfall and finally, darkness.  Our city’s screening will mark the film’s first large-scale, outdoor presentation in the United States.

While the film will be viewable from Millennium Park, the Evening Associates of the Art Institute of Chicago are offering an indoor option. A special viewing party in the panoramic Modern Wing, entitled “Unveiled: Empire,” will give guests a front-row seat from which to consider one of Warhol’s landmark experimental pieces, all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, and music from one of Chicago’s hippest DJs.  Attendees will also get a special sneak preview of the museums new “Light Years” exhibit before it opens to the public.

The event will take place on Friday, December 9 from 8:00-11:00 PM in the Nichols Trustees Suite, located on the second floor of the Art Institute’s Modern Wing. The cost, which includes food and drinks, is $60 for Evening Associates members and $70 for non-members.

Tickets are limited, and those interested in attending can sign up here. Additional information is available at the Evening Associates’ information line (312-443-3710) or by contacting Jaime Norwood (jnorwood@artic.edu)

“Unveiled: Empire” is just one of many cool cultural events put on by the Evening Associates throughout the year. The group’s mission is to bring Chicago’s young professional community into an active, participatory relationship with the Art Institute of Chicago in order to promote an understanding and appreciation of the arts. Evening Associates members enjoy exclusive museum gatherings, gallery walks and other unique “after-five” events throughout Chicago, taking advantage of the city’s vibrant art and social scene.  More information is available at www.eveningassociates.com.

We hope you can make it! – Sean Mogle

After writing, shooting & airing our lil “short movie” / avatar invite this week, the tough challenges of it all really took me by surprise, and made me respect the industry all the more. It also made me take note of this seminar I thought I’d share. Its by la producer & highly sought-after screenwriting teacher/”pitch doctor” barri evans who will be hosting an intensive screenwriting seminar from feb 2-4. from what i hear, her seminars are amazing and really help-

barri evins always wanted to be a storyteller, and after finding out that she couldn’t do it as a ballerina, she realized she could tell stories through film. she’s helped set up pitches at Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, Disney, HBO, and more, and she’s also worked with actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and auto racing enthusiast paul newman on a few political commercials. barri’s currently working on a few projects with spider-man actor tobey maguire and a novel adaptation for lifetime. she heads a nonprofit organization called from the heart which promotes literacy and fosters a love of reading in children living below the poverty line.

i love that her dream and purpose is to help others achieve theirs and that she’s sharing her successes to help aspiring screenwriters achieve
their own. so all you aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters out there, if you’re interested in attending her screenwriting seminar, you can get more info and register by emailing barri@bigbigideas.com!

**UPDATED Nov 29, 2011 :: We’re thrilled to announce we have the honor yet again of being host to 2011′s Best of the Midwest Gala! Tuesday, December 6th come to Rockit Bar and Grill (22 W Hubbard) to celebrate the premier filmmaking talents in Chicago and the Midwest. It’s been an exceptional year for The Midwest Independent Film Festival and here’s your chance to join in the excitement! Click here for more info, a list of the nominees and to get your tickets - http://www.midwestfilm.com/pages/vote_/155.php See you there!**

Everyone knows and loves the mainstream movie festivals across the country; Sundance, Cannes, New York, Toronto, etc, that’s a given.. but let’s not forget our local “Midwest Independent Film Festival” solely dedicated to the Midwest filmmaker, presenting audiences with regionally produced independent cinema (here’s a pic of me, Mancow and Four Time Golden Globe nominee Armand Assante from last year)Celebrating local arts & talent is something I’m personally passionate about, so for the 2nd year in a row, I’ve helped give The Best of the Midwest Awards a warm & festive home at Rockit Bar & Grill (22 W. Hubbard). This year, join us on Tuesday, December 7th starting at 7pm!

There are some great attendees slated to be there, from Oscar nominee Steve James (Hoop Dreams) to screenwriter Steve Conrad (Pursuit of Happyness),.. So its a perfect opportunity for those interested in the film industry to come on out and network w/ people that are excelling in the field. For BMA tickets go to  http://ow.ly/3ke1G (includes two full hours of appetizers & hosted bar), but if you can’t swing the ticket cost you are in luck –I have 20 tickets to giveaway to my ever so loyal & awesome Twitter & Facebook friends (click on each if not connected w/me yet). Just post on my facebook &/or twitter.. “I follow you and want to win the Film Fest tix too!” Enjoy!

I know a lot of people throw academy award parties across the nation, but wanted to let you know of the 51 “official” academy award parties sanctioned by the academy of motion pictures, arts and sciences, chicago has had one of these “official” parties for the last 16 years!

One of my scariest press memories actually was when I hosted it about 5 years ago w/my buddy Amanda puck who dragged me in to do steve dahl’s radio show absolutely terrified because for months he had been making fun of me live on his show (even made my mom cry once when she heard him in the car)!  In the end, glad amanda helped me face my fear, because ended up that steve and I realized we were actually two nice guys that totally didn’t understand the other til we talked in person.. and we actually created a very nice friendship out of it!

Anywho, this year the official party celebrating the live simulcast of the 82nd annual academy awards will be from 6p-11p sunday march 7th at the gene siskel film center (164 n. state st) hosted by great friends like roger & chaz ebert, harold ramis, Betsy steinberg, mike mcnamara, Amanda puck, david zapata, brook jay and more! tickets at ticketmaster are $100 & all proceeds will benefit the gene siskel film center of the school of the art institute of chicago- enjoy!

in honor of international women’s day, “care” (www.care.org), an organization dedicated to helping women around the world by improving education, health, and economic opportunity, presents “half the sky live” on thursday, march 4 at 7:30pm in select theatres nationwide. this will be a one night interactive movie event inspired by pulitzer prize winning journalists nicolas kristof and sheryl wudunn & new york times bestseller “half the sky” which follows stories of extraordinary women around the world as they struggle to overcome oppression.

the “half the sky” event also features a screening of a short documentary by academy award winner marisa tomei and lisa leone, w/musical appearances & celebrity commentary by india arie, maria bello, diane birch, michael frantic, dr. helene gayle, angelique kidjo, nicholas kristof, sarah, duchess of york and others! 

Thank you to my buddies joe & jen shanahan, maria ponce, anna davlantes, and others,… who turned me on to an amazing opportunity to support, through an invitation to the care chicago women’s initiative event that includes a VIP pre-screening cocktail at webster’s wine bar (1480 w.webster ave.) from 5:00 to 7:15pm, followed by the “half the sky live premier” at webster place theatre (1471 w. webster ave.) from 7:30-9pm. tickets are $50- includes cocktails, appetizer and movie!  donations will go towards care’s education program for girls. to rsvp for event, email nmoslehuddin@care.org – see you there!