Chicago-based Filmworkers has promoted Derek de Board to executive producer. De Board, who marks his tenth anniversary with the company this month, will oversee production activities, lead a team of producers and schedulers, direct sales and coordinate joint projects with Filmworkers’ Dallas and Nashville facilities, as well as other members of the Filmworkers Group (which include Vitamin, Giannini Creative and Tree House Edit). He will also serve as executive producer of Churchill Studio, Filmworkers’ newly formed, in-house visual effects studio.
DeBoard joined Filmworkers in 2004 and has served the company in many administrative and production capacities. For the past four years, he has been senior producer, managing postproduction work for scores of advertising projects for top agencies and national brands. He also served as postproduction supervisor on the independent feature Bad Johnson.
“Derek is a homegrown talent who has proven his talent, dedication and competence in many ways over the years,” said Filmworkers president Reid Brody. “He has earned this opportunity and we expect him to be a key contributor to our continued success.” De Board is currently overseeing projects for State Farm, McDonald’s, US Cellular, Embassy Suites, Scottrade and Allstate.
De Board will focus on further streamlining workflows between Filmworkers’ various departments, as well as between the Filmworkers facility and the other companies in its group. “The collective Filmworkers has built is unlike any other resource in this market,” de Board said. “I’m excited to be the face of the best postproduction house in Chicago and honored to represent the artists in every chair in the building.”
De Board is a native of Highland Park, Illinois and a graduate of Columbia College. He grew up in the business. His step-father was a producer at DDB, Chicago for many years, and he, himself, worked briefly as a child actor. He got his professional start with Optimus before joining Filmworkers.
