CHICAGO — Director Michael Maes, who specializes in storytelling in the food and liquid space, has opened a new, purpose-built production studio in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood. Designed specifically for high-end food, beverage and quick-service restaurant (QSR) production, the new studio (www.maesstudio.com) doubles the footprint of Maes’ previous space and offers clients a comprehensive, end-to-end production environment that can be customized to their changing needs.
“We love being part of a neighborhood again,” Maes says. “We started off on the north side and have come full circle. We built this space for brands to make it a place they can call home. It was designed not just to be functional, but also luxurious. We tried to make it so that it's not just a place where you would work, but a place you'd want to hang out.”
The new space is home to dual stages that allow for simultaneous motion and still photography production. There is also a state-of-the-art kitchen located directly adjacent to the main stage. A second full kitchen is also available, along with extensive refrigerated and frozen storage. There is also a complete suite of professional food styling tools and appliances. Additionally, a motion-control robot arm enables precise cinematography, while robust in-house power, full still-photography gear and dedicated prop storage can support productions of virtually any scale.
Beyond the production space, the facility houses a large conference room, a premium client lounge with live stage feeds and upgraded amenities designed to create a comfortable, collaborative environment.
Maes is represented by Quriosity Productions, a minority-owned creative boutique founded by executive producer Qadree Holmes back in 2013. Their partnership includes past collaborations on projects for McDonald’s, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Tyson, Kellogg’s and Denny’s.
“The real benefit here is that it is a larger space that can accommodate larger shoots,” Holmes says. “Clients want to have a production home, especially in the food, beverage, and restaurant space. Once they create a brand look, they don’t want to work with 20 different companies; they want to ensure they can work with a director or photographer who understands it and helps manage their brand assets. And it's nice being able to go back to a vendor or a resource that actually has that historical knowledge.”