C-U Blogfidential

On three consecutive freelance jobs that cut in during the current C-U Confidential dance, your editor demonstrates the three basics of print media: writin’, illustratin’, and designin’.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the Lincoln FilmFest, planned by former Ebertfest executive director Nancy Casey and C-U historian Dannel McCollum, to take place March 13-15, 2009, at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. Also, your editor ruminates about a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

C-U Blogfidential starts off Year 3 with growing confidence and occasional hints of annoyance.

It’s moments like these when the words and actions of other “movie people” in the area simply get your editor’s goat. Therefore, your editor bitches.

Your editor doesn’t have much to add regarding the NIU shootings except for the obvious – we feel for the victims.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about Carl Deal, who won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary filmmaking at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for the feature, TROUBLE THE WATER, along with Tia Lessin. Also, your editor bitches about bad reporting by others that indirectly thwarts the C-U Blogfidential mission.

Articles in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the discussion of an independent recommendation to establish a fifth local public-access channel that would be jointly operated by Champaign and Urbana. Also, your editor bitches about something he already bitched about earlier this year.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the taping of a segment for NBC’s The Today Show in Champaign-Urbana featuring University of Illinois men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber, freshman walk-on player Jeff Jordan, and his father Michael Jordan. Also, your editor bitches (for the first time in a while) about a usual suspect.

Your editor plays hooky from C-U Blogfidential to travel both forks down the publishing road, providing words + pix for “The Eclectic Screening Room” and the way-out layout for “Bachelor Pad Magazine.”

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the production of a video by Australian filmmaker Christopher Faull, featuring students from Franklin Middle School in Champaign. Plus, your editor bitches about the usual.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about Mike and Gail Hanafin, owners of the Princess Theatre in LeRoy, IL, taking over management duties after allowing former operator Ben Slotky to back out of his lease agreement. Plus, your editor ruminates about the failure of the Castle Theatre in Bloomington under Slotky’s ownership.

Article in Bloomington (IL) daily The Pantagraph about the reopening of the Majestic Theatre in Streator, IL, on its 100th anniversary. Also, your editor bitches about old business.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the “Show Me A Story” program sponsored by WILL-TV Channel 12 and the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club of Champaign, during which preteens learn how to plan and produce a 10-minute segment for television. Plus, your editor bitches about the station’s lack of creative in-house programming.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the hiring of Atlanta, GA, consulting firm McQueen and Associates by the Vermilion Heritage Foundation to assess whether future restoration and operation of the Fischer Theatre in downtown Danville would be a viable investment. Plus, your editor bitches about the increasing propensity for small theaters to rely on big Hollywood movies in order to stay open.

“Scary Monsters” magazine reprints your editor’s very first freelance article in the “Svengoolie” issue currently on newsstands.