Chicago's The Fields Studios opens Logan Square
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's lights, camera, and action for Chicago.
The Fields Studios secured a $5 million grant, part of the effort to increase industry opportunities in the Midwest.
"The Bear" will soon start its third season of filming in Chicago. It joins "The Chi" and "Mea Culpa," which are also shot in the Windy City.
Now, there will be a new place for shows to be produced.
"This is the first purpose-built studio campus in Chicago. In Illinois. In the Midwest," said Shawn Papazian of Knickpoint Studios.
The 23-acre site is a first of its kind.
"We're very proud of that statement. That pushes the quality of opportunity to be made here," Papazian said.
The Fields Studios is a $250 million project. It has nine sound stages in a building that used to be a Marshall Fields warehouse.
Knickpoint Ventures bought the site at 4000 W. Diversey in 2018.
Shawn Papazian is a partner with Knickpoint Studios.
"Any type of production on the highest level can now facilitate at the optimal level. And we can provide that now and no other facility in the Midwest can say that," Papazian said.
On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker announced $10 million in grant funding for the local film studio infrastructure project through the Illinois Soundstage Program.
"Now it's about taking that money and helping us build interior spaces within the main building for different groups. Mom and Pop shop vendors that supply to the ecosystem," Papazian said.
"That's going to bring in at least two shows, which the hire of 250 people, plus actors. Also, it will help the community. We have a neighborhood here that will see the benefits of having that much work in this community," said Peter Hawley, Director of the Illinois Film Office.
Papazian said this is a television concept facility.
"The key market here is television. So for one-hours, half-hours, we have some big commercial opportunities. So that's really our bread and butter," Papazian said.
They'll start production in a couple of weeks. They won't show their cards and say exactly who it will be, but he said the groups are some of the biggest studio streamers in the world, and the shows are some of the biggest coming to Chicago.
