Despite the shuttering of Backyard Productions’ Chicago production officeathe company is now based in Venice, Calif., and maintains a sales office in the Windy CityaManarchy Films, Chicago, is content with its geography.
Dan Lundmark, executive producer at Manarchy, and a 20-year veteran of the advertising industry, says that Chicago is still a good place to run a production company. "I was certainly sorry to see them go," he says of Backyard. "It’s a wonderful company, and L.A. is such a strong magnet."
Lundmark, along with owner/director Dennis Manarchy, have so far resisted the pull of that magnet, and have no plan to relocate to the West Coast. "Our roots are really here," says Lundmark, a Chicago native. "We have families. At this point in our careers, we’re not going to relocate, and it would be crazy to move, lifestyle-wise."
And being located in Chicago, according to Lundmark, has a number of advantages. Manarchy’s office is just a few blocks away from large agencies such as DDB, Leo Burnett Co. and J. Walter Thompson. "Instead of being on the phone, you can go over and talk," says Lundmark. "It’s a visual business. Obviously, the ability to show a set sketch or a shooting board ahead of when you normally would [helps to] facilitate communication." He estimates that about half of Manarchy’s work comes out of New York agencies, with the other half split between Chicago shops like DDB, and regional agencies such as Long Haymes Carr, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Lundmark says location isn’t really relevant, and it doesn’t matter where Manarchy Films sets up office. "We shoot all over the world," he says. "Our reel is obviously perceived to be valid and interesting among agencies, and they bid on us. We travel a lot, but we would still travel a lot if we were in L.A."
The production house currently has four directors in its stable, including Manarchy, the mono-monikered Clang, Peter Van Vliet, and Todd Holland, an episodic television director looking to cross over into spots. Some of Manarchy’s credits include Maxwell House’s "Heartland," out of Ogilvy & Mather, New York, Illinois Tourism’s "Downstate," through BBDO Chicago, and Gore-Tex’s "Wow," "Golf" and "Anothers," all via Richardson, Myers & Donafrio, Baltimore. Van Vliet recently directed "Emotional Testimonial" for Allerare out of FCB, Chicago. Holland’s TV credentials include episodes of The Larry Sanders Show, Malcolm In The Middle and Felicity. Manarchy and Van Vliet are based in Chicago, while Clang resides in New York, and Holland lives in Los Angeles.
