Media Process Group

Just returned yesterday from the amazing Blue Ox Music Festival in Eau Clair, WI. This year might've been the best lineup yet: Del McCoury Band, Sam Bush, Molly Tuttle, Watchhouse, Sierra Farrell and Them Coulee Boys, among so many others. We went with our 2 sons, Aidan and Jackson, Jackson's girlfriend, Addison Lewis, Julie's sister, Janet and her husband, Phil. It was a jam packed 3 days, for sure.

As some of you know I've been teaching the documentary production class at Loyola University/Chicago for the spring semester. Last night was a bittersweet night: the last class of the semester. I was blessed with an incredible class of students and I feel we learned from each other. Good luck to the students that are graduating!

Just a reminder to Chicagoland friends: the screening of Joe Winston's "Punch 9 For Harold Washington" is tomorrow night at the Wayfarer Theater in Highland Park at 7 p.m. There will be a Q/A after the film with Joe and producer Raymond Lambert. Hope you can make it.

Here's ticket info: https://www.wayfarertheaters.com/checkout/showing/punch-9-for-harold-washington-/946132

Thrilled to report that Joe Winston's amazing film, "Punch 9 for Harold Washington," (of which I was an Executive Producer) is screening next Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Wayfarer Cinema in Highland Park, IL at 7:00 p.m. Joe and producer Raymond Lambert will be there for a Q/A after the film. For tix go to: https://www.wayfarertheaters.com/checkout/showing/punch-9-for-harold-washington-/946132

Was clearing off an old laptop for recycling when I stumbled across these 2 photos from an interview that I filmed in 2005 with the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court building. It was a project for the Illinois Holocaust Museum produced by Dave Lundy (also pictured here). It was a great honor meeting Justice Ginsberg.

Today’s work place.

Today marks the 25 anniversary death of one of the co-founders of Media Process Group, Bruce Lixey. Although skilled in lighting, directing and producing, Bruce was the driving force when it came to the business side of our industry.
MPG has managed to achieved great heights in our 35+ years, but I can’t help but wonder how much further up the road we would have been with Bruce’s savvy business skills.
We will always cherish the time we had with him.
Bruce Lixey, 1959-1998.

Last night’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival was AMAZING!
Special thanks to director, Lisa Cort’es for allowing me to DP her awesome documentary, “Little Richard: I Am Everything”.
Airing sometime this year on CNN FILMS / HBO MAX.

Last month we shot a series of commercials for several Democratic judicial candidates in Cook County. MPG's Bob Hercules directed and Mike Swanson was DP. The spots were produced by Sean Tenner and Mary Kay Dawson. Good luck to all of the candidates we filmed!

We are thrilled to report that we are working on a new documentary about iconic late night talks show host, Tom Snyder, with his daughter, Ann Marie Snyder. Here's a piece in SCREEN about the film:
https://screenmag.com/chicago-filmmaker-bob-hercules-to-helm-tom-who-doc-on-late-night-host-tom-snyder/

Chicago Filmmaker Bob Hercules to Helm 'Tom Who' Doc on Late Night Host Tom Snyder; Snyder's Daughter to Co-Direct Leaping from one legend to another. Chicago filmmaker Bob Hercules, who co-directed the Peabody-winning American Masters bio-documentary of the legendary