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By Barbara Vancheri / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Drumroll ... and the Steeltown Film Factory finalists are: Heather Gray, "Life After Deaf"; Dennis Schebetta, "My Date With Adam"; and Glenn Syska, "The Sketch."
A winner will be chosen May 11 at the final event at Carnegie Mellon University's Purnell Center for the Arts, Chosky Theatre. Judges have yet to be named.
Doors will open at 10:30 a.m., the event will start at 11 a.m.
Pittsburgh's budding screenwriters make their pitches at Steeltown Film Factory
March 24, 2013 12:39 am
By Timothy McNulty / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Film Factory adviser and "Two & A Half Men" Director, Jamie Widdoes is working on a new pilot in Pittsburgh as part of Steeltown/WQED incubator. The pilot was tested in early december and focuses on the empowerment of young girls and women. The show will be produced as a collaboration of Pittsburgh and LA talent!
The Producers, Jamie Widdoes, Peter Isacksen, and the host Anea Bogue were featured on Pittsburgh Today Live!
Check out the Pittsburgh Live Video
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"Dark Knight Rises" trailer prompts fanboy euphoria
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
By: Brent Lang, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Reactions among Batman fans to a new theatrical trailer for Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated "The Dark Knight Rises" ranged from euphoric to philosophical after the sneak peek went viral Monday.
Already stratospheric, expectations for the superhero sequel are now orbiting the earth.
As "The A-Team" director Joe Carnahan tweeted after the preview hit the web, "'Dark Knight Rises' isn't going to be big, it's going to create a scale of b.o. success I don't think H'wood has mapped yet. 'Avatar' included."
The latest look at the superhero sequel arrives on the heels of an extended opening prologue that screened along with select IMAX showings of "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" last weekend, giving moviegoers a few tantalizing clues about what fresh evil will strike Gotham City this time around.
As a number of commentators pointed out, this latest installment in the Caped Crusader franchise seems to borrow a page from the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Those political undertones came across via a few lines of dialogue spoken during the sneak peek.
In particular, Catwoman's (Anne Hathaway) warning to Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) -- "You and your friends better batten down the hatches because when it hits, you're all going to wonder how you ever thought how you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us" -- struck some as evidence of distinct Occupy undertones.
"Even if Nolan decided against filming at Zuccotti Park, it seems he may in fact depict Batman as the 1 percent," Slate's David Haglund wrote.
Asked Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen: "Team Nolan has made it clear that 'The Dark Knight Rises' won't be going gently into the good night of franchise retirement-rebootment. But are you intrigued or alienated by the prospect of a potentially politically charged superhero epic, one that arrives July 20 -- about a month ahead of the Republican and Democratic national conventions?"
Politics aside, based on the reactions across Twitter and on movie and comic book blogs, the vast majority of viewers came away stoked for the final film in the mega-grossing series, with many taking the roughly two-minute clip as evidence that the director had delivered a worthy follow-up to 2008's "The Dark Knight."
"I think they can stop making movies after 'The Dark Knight Rises.' Really, there's no point...," Miguel Conceicao, a marketing student, tweeted.
"Nolan's trailer says more in just over 2 min. w/out even trying than M.Bay can say in hours while trying his damndest," Charlie Berens, a writer and journalist, tweeted.
"Finally saw this last night (I have yet to see the 6 minute prologue footage) and it looks at first blush that Christopher Nolan sticks the landing," wrote Nordling, a blogger on the film site Ain't It Cool News.
As for the trailer, it remains short of plot points, beyond glimpses of main villains Bane (Tom Hardy) and Catwoman and an eye-popping shot of an exploding football field.
Not that every element of the trailer inspired the desired reaction in viewers.
"There's plenty to like in the trailer: the set design, the tone, the chanting, and how the frame is packed with action," Matt Goldberg of the movie blog Collider wrote. "But there's one shot that had me cracking up and it's the destruction of the football field. I watch that and all I can think is, "Bane just seriously f---ed over my fantasy football team."
One "Dark Knight" character whose presence will be sorely missed is Heath Ledger's iconic Joker -- a chilling and instantly iconic foil for Batman who will be hard to duplicate.
"Wait, wait, wait, why is everyone blowin' their loads over the new 'Dark Knight 'trailer? It's not like Heath Ledger rose from the dead," FirecrestXB tweeted.
Lucas Shaw contributed to this report.
Click here to see the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises!
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"Dark Knight Rises" trailer prompts fanboy euphoria
For Building Change Film Festival, October 12th-16th, 2011
The mission of the Building Change Film Festival is to open the viewer's eyes to the injustices that we see in the world by screening films that will celebrate struggle, shed light on these injustices, and show us possibilities for a better future.
We are looking for feature length, mid, and short films (25 minutes or less) themed around social justice issues, preferably those that have relevance to Southwestern Pennsylvania. This is open to a full range of issues including; the environment, poverty, LGBTQ issues, racial and gender equality, prison/police reform, food justice, peace and human rights issues. Ideal films will demonstrate the power and value of filmmaking as a vehicle for exploration of social justice issues and will motivate viewers to seek solutions and promote change. There is no age limit and all genres will be considered. Deadline is July 15th.
The Building Change Film Festival is part of Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice, a 3-day open attendance event being coordinated by the Three Rivers Community Foundation and other progressive organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
For more information and a submission form, go to: www.buildingchangewpa.org
Sunday, April 24, 2011
By David Conrad
My dad died last month. This has nothing to do with that.
What I have to tell you is how I pulled up in front of my childhood home the day of the funeral and the woman who lives there now stepped outside, looked at me and said, "Are you OK?"
I said, "No, my dad died."
She tilted her head. "You used to live here?"
"Yes."
"Do you wanna come in? I'm just going down to the market, but no rush, come on in."
And she proceeded to let me walk around her home, asking if I needed anything, asking who had lived in what rooms, what doors to the porch we had used, and was my mother the one who planted the perennials, and how has it changed? All the time smiling and encouraging me to stop when I needed to, cry if I had to, she said,
"Please. Go upstairs. Which room was yours?"
Women in Film and Media will recognize Donora native.
By Ron Paglia - For The Valley Independent
Kim Moses, a major force in television and entertainment production, will be honored for her accomplishments when Women in Film and Media Pittsburgh presents its fourth annual Opal Awards this month. The celebration of achievements by women in film, video and other screen based media will be held at 6 p.m. April 30. at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square, Pittsburgh. It is open to the public and additional information is available at www.wifmpit.com/opalawards.
"I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition," said Moses, a Donora native and Monongahela Valley Catholic High School graduate. "Women In Film and Television International does an outstanding job on a global level and the Pittsburgh chapter epitomizes the commitment to the goals and ideals of advancing professional development and achievement for women in these professions.
"It is very touching to know they would even consider me to be among the distinguished past recipients and the others who will receive awards in Pittsburgh. I certainly am thrilled and looking forward to returning home for what promises to be a very special evening." Faith Dickinson, founding president of WIFM Pittsburgh, said Moses will be a special guest at the event. "We are very pleased to honor Kim for her successful career," Dickinson said. "The awards are presented to women in the film and television industry who have contributed to Pittsburgh through their dedication to their craft. Kim certainly epitomizes the qualities that are at the heart of the Opal Awards."
Friday, March 25, 2011
By Barbara Vancheri, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A-list producers who normally spend their days with the likes of Julia Roberts, Tyler Perry or Matt Damon are coming to Pittsburgh this weekend for the 2011 Steeltown Film Factory.
Bernie Goldmann, John Dellaverson and Chris Moore will entertain pitches on Saturday from six semi-finalists looking for advice and $30,000 to make a 12-minute film.
In an event expected to sell out at Point Park University, the entertainment veterans will discuss what a producer does and how movies get made. They then will listen to the contenders give five-minute pitches about budget, casting and other details and give them feedback.
The film projects range from a first kiss to the time-honored tradition of reserving a parking space with a chair.
The six, who emerged from an original field of 127, will be narrowed to three on Saturday, with the final round in the competition April 30 at Carnegie Mellon University when a winner will be declared.
"It's the total package that you start looking at," said Carl Kurlander, who will moderate Saturday's panel and has been a driving force behind Steeltown Entertainment Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping grow a vibrant entertainment sector here.
After a year of competition and over 125 submitted screenplays, Steeltown Entertainment Project and Steeltown FILM FACTORY will be holding our "Producer's Pitch" event on March 26, 2011 at Point Park University's George Rowland White Auditorium. This event will be hosting John Dellaverson, Bernie Goldmann, and Chris Moore - 3 of Hollywood's hugely successful producers - as judges for the top 5 semi-finalists of the contest. The semi-finalists will pitch their all-encompassing plans to make their films (including budget, actors, directors, setting, etc.). The top 3 winners will move on to the final round for the opportunity to win $30,000 to make their short film. Our last two events have sold out.
Times: 11 am-1 pm (Doors at 10:30 am)
Location: Point Park University's George Rowland White Auditorium
Phone: (412) 622-1325
Admission: Student: $5; General Admission: $10
