"What's the Matter With Kansas?" Back in Chicago at Gene Siskel Film Center

For those who missed it the first time, Dug did much of the location sound on this excellent documentary over a span of several years.   I caught an early preview last year and it's well worth checking out.

--"What's the Matter with Kansas?" is coming back to the Gene Siskel Film Center!   Click on the red link for Laura and Joe's web site, with scenes from the film and great reviews.

RAVES:

“*** ½ -- I’ve never seen a documentary quite like it.  It has a point to make, but no axe to grind.” – Roger Ebert

**** - Time Out Chicago

“A fascinating and, really, heartbreaking doc… What’s beautiful about the movie is its lack of judgment by the filmmakers. They just let their subjects – good people whom you like – talk. Draw your own conclusions.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“A funny, smart and important look at the intersection of religion and politics in America today.  It’s a movie that needs to be seen in both red and blue states, by liberals and conservatives alike.” – In These Times

SHOW TIMES:

Friday, December 18,  8:00 pm  – Q &A with Laura and Joe!
Saturday, December 19,  8:00 pm
- NO SHOW ON SUNDAY -
Mon, December 21,  7:45 pm – Q & A with Joe!
Tuesday, December 22,  6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 23,  7:45 pm

Gene Siskel Film Center - 164 N. State Street - CHICAGO - (312) 846-2600 - http://siskelfilmcenter.org

Watch the trailer and learn more on our official web site: http://whatsthematterwithkansas.com
     Listen to us on WBEZ: http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=36831
            Watch Joe on The Interview Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJg8GymRLdY

You can buy tickets by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or by visiting ticketmaster.com. or http://siskelfilmcenter.org/node/316

You can also purchase tickets at the Gene Siskel Film Center box office, 164 N. State in downtown Chicago, after 5pm weekdays and 2pm weekends.

Dug Sound--Best of October: American Greed, Bulls Media Day, B96 Gun Pledge, Gary Allan, MSNBC-The Squeeze, Naked Girls Reading, Playboy,Victoria's Secret Model Search

American Greed for CNBC:  October was a busy month at Dug Production Sound.   Dug spent the first week traveling coast to coast with American Greed, for Kurtis Productions.   He flew to the west coast for interviews in L.A. and San Diego.

 

 

 

Then he was home briefly and off to New York.

 

     Cameraman, Darryl Miller --Cross eyed and Painless

Check out American Greed on the CNBC web site, to view past episodes and see a schedule for upcoming shows.

Bulls Basketball:  Dug worked The Chicago Bulls Media day with cameraman, Joe Jans.   He's now interviewed Bulls and Bears.  Now, if someone would just call him in on the Blackhawks interviews, ads, and games.........he'd be a happy guy.

Shoot the pacifists:   Dug did his part to curb violence, shooting the B96 Gun Pledge, where Chicago city school kids pledge not to use guns.

J Niice and Showbiz Shelly, B96 DJs, signed autographs.

We don't have photos, but Dug also worked the annual gun turn in for CPD, and the annual candle light vigil for fallen police officers.

Gary Allan:   This sold out House of Blues show, with country legend, Gary Allan, was filmed in it's entirety,and is set to air around New Years.

MSNBC  The Squeeze:  Dug "squeezed" into a bullet proof vest to ride along with Cook County Sheriffs, for the MSNBC Documentary channel. Click on The Squeeze link, for a preview of the show. 

MSNBC Documentaries Channel - Check out a preview of MSNBC's new series, "The Squeeze." Follow along as criminal intelligence investigators go inside America's largest jail, Chicago's Cook County.



Dug documented the day to day lives of sheriffs on the job, and participated in a huge take down, that was a culmination of a lengthy sting operation.



The "lucky Dug's wife's not a jealous prude" trifecta--Naked Girls Reading, Playboy, and Victoria's Secret Model Search:  How many married 44 year old men get to spend their work days with hot model wannabes and nude lit majors?   Dug hit the triple jackpot in October, and lived to tell about it.   First, he shot at Michelle L'Amour's burlesque show and Naked Girls Reading event, for Carson Daly.   Here's the clip.

 I didn't think they wore clothes?!   Dug then shot a Sizzle Reel for a potential Playboy fashion reality show.   Yeah, I thought "Playboy fashion" was an oxymoron, but evidently they do have a young cadre of hot, fashion buyers, for the parts of the magazine where people aren't just wearing their birthday suits.

   The talent were clothed, but barely.

My darling husband came home complaining about such sound nightmares as crotch skimming mini skirts that wouldn't cover the mic power packs, noisy see-through, plastic raincoats, and skin tight, cleavage baring tops--impossible to hide mics under, without a lot of pushing, pulling and wrangling.   Awww.   Let me break out my tiny violin. 

Secretly a sadist?  Then, Dug finished the month with a Victoria's Secret Model Casting Call.   Thousands of hot, model wannabes stood in the freezing rain for upwards of 5 hours on Saturday, in their stiletto heels and skimpy outfits.  

The vast majority of high heeled hopefuls were rewarded with a few minutes before the judges and a coupon for a free lace thong with bra purchase, before being paraded through the room, and directly out to the alley.   I "almost" feel sorry for them.  Nah.   

Approximately 30 were chosen for a closer look, and then they narrowed the pool of thousands to nine.   Winners will go to Victoria's Secret Boot Camp.

CBS will broadcast the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 10/9 central.

 

Drooling Cows and Philanthropic Lions

Lions Club International:  At the end of September, Dug flew to multiple locations in Alabama, to shoot footage for the Lions Club.
  

They started at The Miracle Field, a specially designed baseball diamond with wheelchair friendly surface and beeping baseballs for the blind, which enables everyone to play.
   

Then they filmed a county fair fundraiser and followed The Lions Club, as they donated money for new computers, to a local Jr. High.  

Their regular crew flies all over the world, documenting Lions Club philanthropy, so Dug would love to work for them on future shoots, and travel more.  

Last Call With Carson Daly--Vancouver Winter Olympic Swag Bag

We have lots more photos from Last Call, but they're pieces that won't be on until the Winter Olympics, so we'll save those shots for later.   No sneak peeks till the episode airs.


I can show you the impressive swag bag, though.   Dug came home with a huge, rolling duffle, courtesy of Allstate.   It was filled with a quality laptop bag, bearing the Olympic graphic and the words, Chicago 2016 Candidate City that I commandered.  The kids each got smaller draw string backpacks with USA Vancouver 2010 on them.   We also got an impressive assortment of Olympic logo swag:  jump drive, winter fleece hat n scarf, baseball hat, bracelets, blanket, calendar and various sponsors products.   Gotta love those corporate freebies.  

Last Call With Carson Daly--Behind the Scenes on the Chicago Shoot

Last night, the Chicago episode of  Last Call With Carson Daly aired, and two photos of Dug made it on the show.   One is in the opening stills, and one shows him behind the cameraman, staying out of the shot, on the Sky Deck Ledge of the Tower formerly known as Sears.  So, here are some of Dug's photos from the shoot, to return the favor.

Cast and crew clowned around in the Willis Tower observation rooms,

where clear walls and floors of the  Sky Deck Ledge give an unobstructed ariel view of the city.


They also hung out at the Angels & Kings bar, owned by Pete Wentz, bass player for the band, Fall Out Boy.


Then they made it to one of our neighborhood favorites, Kuma's Corner on Belmont.   Their food rock.   And when I found out the restaurant was named for the owner's Akita,  I was even more smitten.   Our Akita's name is Nakama, Japanese for Circle of Friends.   Their Akita was named Kuma, Japanese for Bear!   We love and hate to see you guys doing well.   After all the great press, we can't get in the door anymore without waiting for hours.   Gaaah!

Thanks for the tee shirts with Kuma's bear logo on the front and "Bovine Genocide" on the back.   I think we'll wear 'em to Chicago Veganmania Fest, just to mess with our friends who are running it.   I was hoping our Windy City Roller Derby girl friend, Mya Ssault would be working when Last Call shot, but she wasn't.

Later that night, Carson and crew were up for some live music.   Ladyhawk, New Zealander, Phillipa "Pip" Brown rocked Joe Shanahan's Chicago hot spot, The Metro.

  

We were just at Metro again last night for an excellent show by Clutch.   Clutch has a namesake burger at Kuma's (Clutch Burger:  Cheddar, Swiss, Jack, Smoked Gouda) and played a free concert at their anniversary party earlier this summer.   Chicago's such a small town sometimes, for a big city.

Carson Daly's connecting interviews were a challenge, as far as boom shadows and external noise, as they were shot on a boat on the Chicago River.

Dug had a great time working with those guys, and fondly and nostalgically compared it to the years he spent shooting Insomniac with Dave Attell.    Ahhh.........late night drinking shows.   The juncture where work and fun meet.   Better than boring ballroom boards...........

Dug Sound September

September's disappearing fast.   Dug Sound highlights of the month were 5 days on Last call with Carson Daly, for NBC.   The shoot reminded him of the 4 seasons of doing Insomniac With Dave Attell, in the best possible way.  Once the episode airs, we'll have lots more info and behind the scenes pixs.   

Dug did a day for Pepsi, involving an elaborate mix of live action and animation.    He also shot a day for Platinum Weddings and multiple days for Karl Productions on all their city shows:  Connections (CTA), Crime Watch (Police), On Call (Fire Departmant) and At Play (Chicago Park District).  Click on the Karl link, above, to go to podcastchicago.tv for convenient podcasts of all the city shows.



 The remainder of September, he's heading south to Birmingham, Alabama for a 4 day shoot for The Lions Club.  Then he's back briefly and off on a multi state shoot for 11 days with American Greed for CNBC.   We'll also have a lot more photos and info once those episodes air.

What's the Matter With Kansas Chicago Premiere at Gene Siskel Film Center 9/18

 

 Dug spent years traveling to Kansas repeatedly with film making team, Joe Winston and Laura Cohen, to complete the documentary,  "What's the Matter with Kansas?"   Here's a prior blog post about the shoot.  I saw an advanced screening last year and it was excellent.

Now, everyone has a chance to check it out September 18th-24th at The Gene Siskel Film Center.



Here's what Laura and Joe have to say:


Our new movie, "What's the Matter with Kansas?" based on Thomas Frank's best-seller, is making its Chicago debut at the Gene Siskel Film Center on September 18th, 2009. It will play for a week in our beautiful hometown and we are very excited to bring it home.

SHOW TIMES:

Friday, September 18th, 6:15 and 8:15 pm

Saturday September 19th, 3:15, 5:15 and 8:15 pm

Sunday September 20th, 3:15 and 5:15 pm

Monday September 21st, 6:15 and 8:15 pm

Tuesday September 22nd, 6:15 and 8:15 pm

Wednesday September 23rd, 6:15 and 8:15 pm

Thursday September 24th, 6:15 and 8:15 pm 

We'll do a Q & A with author Thomas Frank after the 8.15pm screenings on Friday, September 18th and Saturday September 19t.  Also, we will be available to chat informally in the Gene Siskel Film Center's gallery/cafe adjacent to the theater lobby after the 6:15pm screenings both nights.

A lush cinematic portrait of conservative Middle America. four years in the making, the movie answers the question most on the minds of America just entering the age of Obama - WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?

We’re profiled in this week’s issue of the Reader: http://bit.ly/yGIpw

Watch the trailer: http://bit.ly/iAcVC

Read a rave review in Variety: http://bit.ly/iAcVC

Learn about the controversy in L.A. Times: http://bit.ly/Rlk6S 

and Salon.com:  http://bit.ly/18crpM

visit our official web site:  http://www.whatsthematterwithkansas.com

Also -- we've been getting great advance press, but any journalists you know who'd be interested, please put 'em in touch with us.

You can buy tickets by calling the box office at 312-846-2600 or by visiting http://siskelfilmcenter.org. You can also purchase tickets at the Gene Siskel Film Center box office, 164 N. State in downtown Chicago, after 5pm weekdays and 2pm weekends. 

See you there!

Laura and Joe

info@whatsthematterwithkansas.com