Showtimes
Saturday, April 18
2:00pm – Intro Remarks & Panel
2:45pm – Screening
Ticketing
$14 /General Admission
$10 /Members
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A Chicago winter never looked better! Get a behind-the-scenes tour from the people who made the film and successfully turned a muggy Chicago spring into a snow-covered winter.
The Weather Man is a striking, down-beat and (sadly) largely unsung emotional dramady that maybe only weather-beaten Chicagoans can fully appreciate. Written by hometown scribe Steven Conrad, the film captures the leaden malaise of our unhappiest season with an emotional temperament that is both deadpan and darkly hilarious – a keen achievement being that the film was shot primarily at the break of spring, when warm breezes were melting the soot-stained snow of our discontent.
Crew members Tom Duffield (production designer), James McAllister (location manager) and John Milinac (special effects coordinator) will discuss the making of the film, how to conjure heavy weather on cue in the heart of downtown Chicago, and other windy complications and behind-the-scenes bluster. With a video introduction from the film’s technical consultant and everybody’s favorite weather pro Tom Skilling.
No question, The Weather Man dwells on the drearier side of dark comedies. But what Roger Ebert described as a film “of uncommon observation and touching insight,” others knocked as gloomy and depressing with brief fits of misdirected anger. Those jerk-off contrarians, however, were not from Chicago.
Sponsored by Illinois Production Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the Illinois film production community.
FILM SYNOPSIS
Successful but deeply unhappy Chicago tv weatherman David Spritz (Nicholas Cage) is adrift in a mid-life crisis mired by the collapse of his marriage and profound self-doubt. Pelted—sometimes literally—by a merciless public, David turns to his father (Michael Caine), a celebrated author whose wisdom and elusive approval loom large over David’s attempts to pull himself together.
Gore Verbinski, USA 2005, 102 mins, DCP
PANELISTS
Tom Duffield is an acclaimed production designer and art director whose work has helped shape some of modern cinema’s most visually distinctive worlds. As frequent collaborator of Tim Burton, Duffield brought his signature aesthetic to Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Batman Returns. His versatile design sensibility also elevated the stark realism of Hell or High Water, the haunting atmosphere of The Ring and the stylized spectacle of Men in Black. Duffield began his career as a set designer on the groundbreaking science fiction classic Blade Runner.
James McAllister is a veteran production manager and location manager whose long-standing collaboration with Christopher Nolan includes the films The Dark Knight, Tenet, Batman Begins, and the soon to be released The Odyssey. With more than 40 film and television productions to his credit, McAllister has also worked with acclaimed directors Michael Mann, Ron Howard, Gore Verbinski, David Fincher, Zack Snyder, and Sam Mendes.
As special effects coordinator of the NBC series Chicago Fire, John Milinac has designed and supervised hundreds of fires, explosions, collapses, and assorted on-screen disasters for all 14 seasons of the series. In addition to The Weather Man, his feature credits include Man of Steel, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Last Samuri, and the modern-day reboots of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th.
CHICAGO ON SCREEN
Chicago On Screen is FACETS’ signature behind-the-scenes program spotlighting the films that celebrate Chicago as a cinematic city. Through conversations with filmmakers and crew, the series explores how these productions were made and why they matter. The program is hosted by FACETS Co-Chair Rich Moskal, former Director of the Chicago Film Office and location manager on The Fugitive.
ILLINOIS PRODUCTION ALLIANCE
Illinois Production Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the Illinois film production community. We work closely with State and Local legislative bodies to create growth and opportunities for all sectors of our community.
SERIES PROGRAMMER
Rich Moskal is a 40-year film industry veteran and former director of the Chicago Film Office. With experience that spans filmmaker advocacy, production, and exhibition, he’s credited with positioning Chicago as an emerging industry hub for film and television. Working directly with producers, directors, and industry executives, he helped make possible the local production of major motion pictures and television series, including The Dark Knight, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Candyman, Chicago Fire, and The Chi. Previously, Moskal was location manager of film and television productions including the action blockbuster The Fugitive. He’s currently as an industry consultant and independent producer and serves as co-chair of the pioneering art house cinema FACETS Film Forum.
