Name: Gigi Faraci Harris
Company Title: Owner and CEO Spirit of Play Video Productions Chicago/Schaumburg Illinois
Skills: Producer/Director/Videographer/Editor
College: University of Illinois
Major: Theatre arts and Film
Accomplishments: Co-Founder of Child’s Play Touring Theatre, Founder of “The Happiness Club” Not- for-Profit,
Awards: Three time Emmy Award winner for PBS children's’ show “Doin it Right”, Chicago La Rabida “100 big Hearts” award, South Central Community Services “Promises Fulfilled Award” for Cultural Arts, CCA Award for Inspirational Children’s Programming.
Productions and Clients
Associate Producer - Videographer
Documentary film “ Woolife “ The life and times of Super Cub’s fan Ronnie Woo Woo Wickers
Director/Producer - “GIM South Africa” a Documentary , Northwestern University (Kellogg School of Business )
Producer /Director
“The Happiness Club Documentary” PBS
“Not for Me” THC
“Your End” Karla Kampen
“Morning After” Heavy Metal
“Incaged” Alternative Heavy Metal
“Suspect” Heavy Metal
“Evy” Butterfly
“Tears of this Fire” Lane Eddington
“All one People” Lane Eddington
“Help the People in Need” THC
“Woolife”
“Crime in the Streets” Lane Eddington
“Believe” Andraya Parrish
“ Jazz” 80 something seniors at the seasons
Producer/ Director “Upper Cervical Chiropractic” (Infomercial)
Producer/Director “Anna Pellac” Endodonist (Infomercial) Gordon Lake Productions)
Producer/Director “Dr Nuzio” Optomatrist
“Infomercial”
Producer/Director “ Dr. Ira Chislof” In house Infomercial
Producer/Co-Director “Doin it Right” WTTW PBS Channel 11 Chicago
Producer/Director Aberrant Artist “the artwork of Barry Kite” (Documentary)
Producer/Director “Young at Heart” the seniors at Glenview Place (Documentary)
Videographer/Producer/Director /Editor “The Lab School“ of the University of Chicago (music concerts).
Producer/Director “Christ the Teacher” Notre Dame University Dedication
Producer/Director/Videographer/Editor
Child’s Play Touring Theatre 25 year celebration Video, promotional videos and performances
American English Concerts
Ron Onesti Entertainment- Videographer for talent showcases
Weddings - Shot and edited over over 100 Weddings and Love Stories.
Equipment:
•Sony HDV V5U 1080i 24p
•Panasonic DVX100A 24p
•Sony FX 1000
•Canon DSLR T3i
•Canon HV40
•Glide Cam
•Lowell light set
•Dolly
•Sennheiser EW 122P G3-B
Lavalear Microphones
•Green Screen Set Up
Non linear Editor
•Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 (Studio suite)
Adobe Photoshop
Skills:
•Podcast Consultant
•On camera acting coach
•Studio Production
•HD camera operator
•Proficient DVD Studio Pro 5
•Event Staging
•Linear Video Editor
•Non-Linear Editor (AVID, Liquid,
•Final Cut Pro)
•Field/ Studio Audio Technician
•Green screen director
•Lighting/Set Design
•Copywriting/Scripting
Chicagolands Gigi Faraci Harris is an Emmy Award Winning Director/Producer who has created numerous documentary films, commercials, infomercials, television specials, music videos , Wedding Videos and Wedding Love Story videos. She has also produced and directed many Not-For-Profit fund raising videos, actors and musicians demo reals and video resume’s, concerts and events, family video albums and her newest addition “petumentaries” For those beloved four legged family members.
Gigi has worked with PBS as well as various Cable networks and has the years of experience to take your production from vision to view. Her work in television and film has taught her to be efficient and accurate. Gigi’s quality of work and dedication to a valuable finished product will not disappoint you.
Guided by the code of candid communication and mutual respect, Gigi Faraci Harris creates documentary films that light up larger social issues by telling the stories of everyday people.
Whether filming a child in the inner city trying to survive in a world of gang warfare, abuse and poverty, or a group of 90 something seniors singing and dancing their way young, to a quirky Aberrant, sarcastic, irreverent collage artist trying to survive selling his work on the road, Spirit of Play reveals the common and essential humanity of people, without diminishing or romanticizing their distinctive differences.
Gigi especially enjoys shooting wedding videos and love stories. Because each wedding takes on a life of it’s own and every couple is different, her documentary experience as well as music video work has helped her tell each wedding story with flair. It's always been a thrill for her to capture what is often the most important day of their lives. She’s passionate about delivering a unique finished product that her clients will be proud to share with their family and friends and enjoy for years to come.
Her Shooting style ranges from Cinematic and Documentary to MTV music video and comedy, with a hysterical stinging edge, through her wedding love story mocumentaries. She has the experience and creative vision to capture for the bride all that she has prepared for, hoped for and dreamed her wedding day would be.
True vision cannot be achieved without technical expertise.
Gigi uses only the highest standard of professional equipment using state of the art 3 chip SD and HD cameras. It is through the continual use, instruction and experimentation that she has gained command of her gear. This expertise affords her the opportunity to capture breathtaking footage with ease and efficiency.
A true understanding of lighting both natural and artificial also gives her productions a polished,highly professional dynamic. Gigi understands that lighting is a key element. Ambient light is ultimate however occasionally it will need to be enhanced to obtain the optimal footage. It is with utmost care that lighting issues are addressed at each event. Every venue is unique and lighting is always a primary focus of Harris. She is equipped with professional lighting gear that is both unobtrusive and subtle. Her lighting gear provides the luxury of capturing maximum visual quality with minimum effort or disruption.
A true understanding of audio is what differentiates Gigi’s work. Here again, she is most concerned with audio and dedicates much time and effort in making certain that the audio is perfectly recorded. She understands the many "audible obstacles" that can occur at a live event and works to eliminate the negative elements while making certain to capture the necessary ones making sure audio is captured with clarity.. In post production audio can also be further perfected to lend a superior cinematic quality.
Faraci Harris takes great pride in her charity work and has served on the board of directors for various organizations.
In 1992 Gigi founded the children’s not for profit “The Happiness Club” which teaches kids to write their own songs and plays, choreograph their numbers and sing out against gang violence and drug abuse and promote positive values. She also helped the children create music videos to communicate these values to other kids in a fun format they could relate to. Using these videos, she developed a music based Character Education Curriculum used in the Chicago public schools.
Her years as Executive director of a not for profit gave her the insight and where with all to create effective fund raising promotional videos. she brings that expertise to each organizations fund raising video she produces. In an economically troubled economy, getting funding for these organizations is becoming increasingly more difficult. Promotional DVD’s sent out as well as internet streamed to foundations and funders and screened at fundraising benefits is economical and exceedingly effective
In 1997 she was awarded Chicago’s la Rabida 100 big hearts award. In 2000 received the South Central Community Services “Promises Fulfilled Award” for Cultural Arts and in 2000 she received the CCA Award for Inspirational Children’s Programming.
She also donates a great deal of time teaching children how to produce their own documentaries films and make positive change in society at a very young age. “ Genie in a bottle Unleashed”
Some of the children have had their movies screened at the United Nations to a standing ovation and her students works have won countless children’s film festivals and international awards.
Gigi’s Mission is to create a Professional Video Product which is Cost Effective in the promotion of her customer's message. She will use the Highest Quality Audio/Video equipment and all of the creative components associated with producing the Best Possible Product Message. She will do this by serving as a Partner in her client's pursuit for success."
Spirit of Play Wedding Video Productions services Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana as well as the Northshore and Chicago Suburbs
Please email gigih7@mac.com or contact us today at 847-903-3970 and set up a no-obligation consultation to experience the Spirit of Play difference in person.
Spirit of Play Video services such Illinois Towns as Barrington, Schaumburg, Lake Forest, Palatine, Glenview, Lyle, Wheaton, Naperville, Glen Ellen, Hanover Park, Glencoe, Northbrook, Arlington Heights, Lake Bluff, Buffalo Grove, Palos Heights, Streamwood, Hoffman Estates, Lake in the Hills, Oak Brook Terrace, Elk Grove Village, Oak Park, Geneva, St Charles, Rockford, Joliet, Bartlett, Batavia, Sugar Grove, Aurora, Long Grove, Highland Park, Elmhurst, River Grove, Gurnee, Waudegan, McHenry, Villa Park, Skokie, Morton Grove, Des Plaines, Prospect Heights, Hawthorne Woods, Cary, Zion, Lake Zurick, Palos Hills, Elmhurst, La Grange, La Grange Park, Sugar Grove, Barrington Hills, Lake Geneva, Galena, Lake in the Hills etc... Our Videographers will travel to all Chicago Locations.
The Emmy Awards Wtih Fellow PBs Winners