SPACES & INCUBATORS
The incubators in Chicago can be a great resource for those new to the city looking to network and learn. Personally, as a broke independent filmmaker, I would hold off on most memberships unless you are ready to build a company or see an immediate benefit.
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21122112 is an incubator for various companies that is located just as inconveniently to those not residing on the northwest side of the city. I mostly associate 2112 as a home for musicians more so than filmmakers but the space does include a massive production space referred to as The Hangar that can be rented out for productions and sponsor different panels and meetups which can be useful for filmmakers just starting out or those in need of brushing up on the business side of things
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Indie Co-LabOne of the newer locations, Indie co-lab is definitely one of the more affordable co-working spaces. Great open spaces for events and other collaborations. A sister company of Eleven04, Indie Co-Lab seems to really cater to independent and young creators. Thought still located in the same general "Cinespace hub" as several groups, they're definitely one to look out for
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Chicago FilmmakersUnlike Stage18 and 2112, Chicago Filmmakers isn't an incubator "per se" but I decided to include it in this section because they have a similar mission statements and a physical space where you can become a member and access certain resources. Additionally, Chicago Filmmakers offers year round classes, screenings, and the Digital Media Production Fund, which focuses on short-form diverse content. Their new screening room is also a great space to test out a DCP.
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Additional Space & Incubator Resources
Final Thoughts
As stated above, these incubators are most valuable to those new to the city looking to connect and engage with different aspects of the community all at once. Most of my experience comes from attending events at Stage18, which are often co-sponsored by organizations such as IFP Chicago (and are thus free if you are a member). Many of these events are panels discussing different aspects of the filmmaking process, such as budgeting, producing, post-production, etc. This information can be useful as a refresher but, in my opinion, these perspectives provided should always be looked at critically. Again, as an artist trying to make ends meet, paying for an actual membership does not seem personally valuable to me, but I can see the appeal for someone focused on building a video production company as an entrepreneur and wishing to gain clients and contacts. Ultimately, however, I view these incubators as a resource for the business aspect of filmmaking rather than the artistic.