Chicago Talent Directory

Chicago Talent Directory The Chicago Talent Directory® is a talent promotion, advertising and digital reference platform for casting published by CHICAGO TALENT ENTERPRISES INC.

The Chicago Talent Directory® provides the talent community EXCLUSIVELY based in the Chicago & Illinois area, a central, independent, and searchable resource platform 'to cast, be seen and be hired' featuring local talent profiles, services and auditions. "Officially Recognized by the ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE" Commissioner Suzy Kellett, 1991
Founded in 1985 as a print publication, the Chicago Talent

Directory® has begun its 2024 relaunch to be the city’s only centralized and independent digital casting resource platform EXCLUSIVELY hosting Chicago & Illinois area actors, models, voiceovers and entertainers’ portfolio profiles. It will also offer submission opportunities for auditions, resources for talent services, representatives (talent agents) and casting directors and in later stages, news and events.

▪️▪️▪️The CHICAGO TALENT DIRECTORY® PRINT EDITION HISTORY (1985-1994) ▪️▪️▪️
⭐️ "Officially Recognized by the ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE" by Commissioner Suzy Kellett in 1991
▪️The Chicago Talent Directory®
• A proud contributor of the early re-birth of our now exploding film production growth in Illinois
• Distributed by our film commissioners at the Location Expos in Hollywood
• Attracted film work to the State of Illinois in the mid 1980s
• Gave high profile talent buyers, producers and casting directors their first ‘in-hand’ look at Chicago talent
• Resulted in multitudes of opportunities for our local talent to appear in feature films, various media/advertising productions and theater right here at home
▪️CONTENT
The Chicago Talent Directory® is a resource tool for casting professionals to research and hire EXCLUSIVELY Chicago & Illinois area talent
— Talent profiles included headshots, basic statistics, skills, and booking information of
• Actors
• Voiceovers
• Models
• Entertainers
— Talent resource section included local
• talent agents and casting directors
• talent services such as headshot photographers and schools
• information, organizations & events
▪️IN THE MEDIA
The Chicago Talent Directory® is
• Dedicated to promoting Chicago talent to talent buyers everywhere and supporting the locally based talent pool it serves.
— Our print editions were featured many media outlets including
• Variety • Backstage • Screen Magazine • Models World Magazine • Chicago Sun Times • Chicago Tribune, • ReelChicago.com • Lerner Newspapers • Pioneer Press • PerformInk • Audition News • WSSY-Radio • WGN-TV
▪️HOST TO SEMINARS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS
• Feature Chicago area film industry icons, leaders and professionals
• Discuss and train talent on how to market themselves
• Advance the professionalism and progress of Chicago talent and film production industry
• How to attract productions to our city and state
• Issues of work ethics among industry members
• Keeping our exceptional talent here and ending the bleed-off to the coasts
▪️'SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE'
‘Spotlight’ magazine’ is the ‘promotional and training’ arm of the Chicago Talent Directory®.
• First published in 1987
• Features the accomplishments and bookings of CTD listed talent
• Read widely by the Chicago film & media/talent production industry
• Boasts features and how-to articles that aid talent in pursuing their careers
• Informs on Industry events and news
• Written by and about key, high profile industry personnel
• Highlights articles of Hollywood and other industry icons

▪️ SIGN UP -- "JOIN THE COMMUNITY"
• TALENT interested in a FREE profile listing in the Chicago Talent Directory® should visit http://www.chicagotalentdirectory.net/talent-info-request.html and fill out the form.
• TALENT SERVICES (photographers, schools, coaches, make-up artists, etc.) who wish to be listed for FREE in the ‘Resources’ division of the Chicago Talent Directory®, please fill out the form here: http://www.chicagotalentdirectory.net/services.html
• For further information, please visit www.ChicagoTalentDirectory.net or contact the [email protected].

🔺The Chicago Talent Directory® DOES NOT BOOK TALENT. The Chicago Talent Directory® is registered as a U.S. Federal Trademark and will be vigorously defended. Chicago Talent Directory® is a division of Chicago Talent Enterprises Inc. Nanci Ponne’, President, Publisher and Founder. All rights reserved 2024.

‘CHICAGO FIRE’ & ‘CHICAGO P.D.’ BEGIN FILMING JULY 24;‘CHICAGO MED’ STARTS JULY 30
06/20/2025

‘CHICAGO FIRE’ & ‘CHICAGO P.D.’ BEGIN FILMING JULY 24;
‘CHICAGO MED’ STARTS JULY 30

The highly successful Dick Wolf triumvirate of Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med, which has led the historic resurgence of the Chicago

FILMSCAPE HAPPENS THIS WEEKEND!  🎥🎞️🎬🎭Great opportunity to network!
06/20/2025

FILMSCAPE HAPPENS THIS WEEKEND! 🎥🎞️🎬🎭
Great opportunity to network!

Filmscape Chicago, the Midwest’s premier education event for film and television production, has announced its full slate of classes for the 2025 show,

CHICAGO’S SUMMER FILM PRODUCTION SLATE IS HEATING UP
06/14/2025

CHICAGO’S SUMMER FILM PRODUCTION SLATE IS HEATING UP

Chicago film and television production is buzzing with energy this summer, as soundstages across the city fill up

NATASHA P. OLGUIN TAPPED TO LEAD CHICAGO FILM OFFICE
06/14/2025

NATASHA P. OLGUIN TAPPED TO LEAD CHICAGO FILM OFFICE

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has appointed Natasha P. Olguin the new Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Film Office.

‘LAURA LOUISE’ SET TO FILM IN CHICAGO THIS FALL  LOOKS TO CAST CHICAGO BASED TALENT
06/07/2025

‘LAURA LOUISE’ SET TO FILM IN CHICAGO THIS FALL
LOOKS TO CAST CHICAGO BASED TALENT

With his next feature film, Laura Louise, set to shoot in Chicago this fall, Producer / Director, Duane Edwards sat down with Reel Chicago

‘THE CHI’ RENEWED FOR SEASON 8, FILMS IN CHICAGO
05/31/2025

‘THE CHI’ RENEWED FOR SEASON 8, FILMS IN CHICAGO

The Chi has been renewed for Season 8 by Paramount+ with Showtime. The news comes on the heels of the Season 7 premiere drawing two million viewers.

A CASTING DIRECTOR’S TIPS ON GETTING CAST IN INDIE PRODUCTIONS
05/28/2025

A CASTING DIRECTOR’S TIPS ON GETTING CAST IN INDIE PRODUCTIONS

Explore this post and more from the acting community

TOM CRUISE FILM ACTING TIP:  ‘LEARN FILM MAKING TECH’ — ALL THE GREATS DID!Tom Cruise Urges Young Actors to Learn Filmma...
05/15/2025

TOM CRUISE FILM ACTING TIP: ‘LEARN FILM MAKING TECH’ — ALL THE GREATS DID!

Tom Cruise Urges Young Actors to Learn Filmmaking Tech, Which Is ‘Not Taught in Film Schools’: ‘Brando Understood Lighting. All the Greats Did’
(Variety)

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/tom-cruise-criticizes-film-schools-not-teaching-movie-tech-1236395469/

Consider ‘Chicago Filmmakers’

Tom Cruise says young actors need to learn about the craft of filmmaking, which film schools don't always teach in acting programs.

FEATURE FILM, ‘HEKLA’, BEGINS FILMING IN CHICAGO IN AUGUST
05/14/2025

FEATURE FILM, ‘HEKLA’, BEGINS FILMING IN CHICAGO IN AUGUST

Award-winning Chicago writer/director Michael Glover Smith (Relative, Mercury in Retrograde) will begin principal photography on his fifth feature film,

HERE’S WHAT FILMING IN CHICAGO THIS SPRING 🎥🎞️🎬  “At a time when film production in Los Angeles and Atlanta is experienc...
05/04/2025

HERE’S WHAT FILMING IN CHICAGO THIS SPRING
🎥🎞️🎬 “At a time when film production in Los Angeles and Atlanta is experiencing notable slowdowns, in contrast, Chicago has remained a stable location for film production.”
(ReelChicago.com)

https://reelchicago.com/article/heres-whats-filming-in-chicago-this-spring/

Here's what we know is filming in Chicago this Spring. Not included are several projects that are not yet official.

A24’S ‘ENEMIES’ BEGINS FILMING IN CHICAGO IN MAY
04/20/2025

A24’S ‘ENEMIES’ BEGINS FILMING IN CHICAGO IN MAY

A bonafide blockbuster will be storming into Chicago this Spring, with a familiar face for Chicago TV fans on board. A24 is bringing its latest thriller

Address

Chicago, IL

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Chicago Talent Directory posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

About: Chicago Talent Directory®

"Officially Recognized by the ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE" by Commissioner Suzy Kellett in 1991, the Chicago Talent Directory® has been used to attract film work to the state of Illinois since the mid 1980s. Distributed by our film commissioners at the Location Expos in Hollywood, the Chicago Talent Directory® gave high profile talent buyers, producers and casting directors their first ‘in-hand’ look at Midwest talent furthering interest to bring their film projects to Illinois.

Founded in 1985 and originally published in paperback editions, the Chicago Talent Directory® is transitioning to be an online "interactive" compendium of profiles of professional Actors, Models, Voiceovers and Entertainers EXCLUSIVELY based in the Chicago/Midwest.

The Chicago Talent Directory® is a research tool of talent resources (information & events), sources (talent agents and casting directors), and services (photographers, schools, etc.), combined with 'how-to' articles, features on key entertainment industry persons and companies and dedicated to promoting Chicago Talent to talent buyers everywhere and the locally based talent pool it serves.

The Chicago Talent Directory® has been featured in Variety, Backstage, Screen Magazine, Models World Magazine, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, ReelChicago.com, Lerner Newspapers, Pioneer Press, PerformInk, Audition News, WSSY-Radio and WGN-TV, among many other media outlets.