FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jodi S. Klebick, Executive Director

412-622-1325, jodi@steeltown.org

FILM FACTORY TO ANNOUNCE WINNER(S)!

Final 'Greenlighting Round' to Teach Real Life Pre-Production Methods

March 10, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA – First, Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama acting students publicly read the scripts of the ten semifinalists in Steeltown Entertainment Project's FILM FACTORY event in January. Then, Judges and Panelists narrowed the field down to five scripts. Next came “THE DIRECTOR’S PITCH” at the University of Pittsburgh in February, where the 5 semi-finalists pitched their directing ideas to a panel of industry professionals, and two were 'voted off the island.' Now, three finalists must demonstrate that they have what it takes to turn their ideas into reality during the public event “NOW WHAT? READY, SET, PRODUCE!” on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Point Park University. The public is invited to join our finalists as they make their presentations in simulated pre-production meetings to review issues such as locations, casting, budgets, licensing, technical issues and more. At the discretion of the judges, one, two or even all three finalists could go away that day as winners.

Listed alphabetically, the 3 finalists include:

“Anywhere But Here” by Ross Thomas

“Lightweight” by Randy Kovitz and Deborah Hosking

“Roll the Dice” by Lawrence Phillis, Dave Fedor, John Feightner, & Joe Wichryk II

“NOW WHAT? READY, SET, PRODUCE!” is sponsored by Point Park University’s Department of Cinema and Digital Arts, and will focus on what happens in filmmaking once a project has been “greenlit” and the challenges of the production process. The results of the prior events have culminated thus far in this edge of your seat event, as the judges will determine which of the finalists will be selected to produce their short films in SWPA in the summer of 2010.

The stage will be set up like a pre-production meeting where the panelists will be seated at a conference table, with the finalists at the head. The pre-production meeting is a presentation, and this is the preliminary planning meeting of their short film. The finalists are there to discuss logistical concerns of the production process with their "production team" (the panel). Steeltown Judges and Panelists will evaluate the effectiveness and preparedness of each finalist through these simulated pre-production meetings.

Each finalist will be given 25 minutes, during which they may introduce themselves to their "team," prepare a pep talk, give a summary of the script, and have a little fun. From there, business hats go on. Finalists will talk through the items they are required to prepare ahead of time: documents concerning Budget, Scene Breakdown, and Location. In addition, the finalists will also have a few minutes to present something unique about their project before the questions from the panel begin. This educational event will not only benefit the finalists, but the audience as well, many who are new to this process.

The three finalists present to a panel, moderated by Steeltown co-founder and University of Pittsburgh professor, Carl Kurlander (“St. Elmo’s Fire,” “My Tale of Two Cities”), featuring:

• Janine Michael, Casting Director, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"

• Janet Smith, Documentary Producer and Film Production Manager

• Jeff Monahan, President, 72nd St. Films, LLC.

• Lisa Smith, Co-Executive Producer, "The People Speak"

• Joe Seamans, Producer, Writer and Cinematographer

Live, on site that day, the Judges and Panelists will decide if 1, 2 or all 3 of the finalists qualify to win (and share) the $25,000 production prize for producing their short film over the summer and this outcome will be announced at the end of the workshop. The winning film(s) will screen at the Three Rivers Film Festival in November 2010.

Copies of each script, and required production documents, will be available to audience members upon arrival at “NOW WHAT? READY, SET, PRODUCE!” Steeltown encourage attendees to read the three short scripts prior to the workshop. These can be found on the Steeltown Film Factory website, http://www.steeltownfilmfactory.org/filmscripts.

Alyssa Herron, who was one of the 5 semi-finalists at "THE DIRECTOR’S PITCH" workshop, said, “I have learned more about my own writing, strengths and weakness, and about the business in general (having participated in the FILM FACTORY), than I have from the many classes and workshops I have attended over the years. ”

EVENT DETAILS & TICKETING:

WHAT: "NOW WHAT? READY, SET, PRODUCE!"

WHERE:

Point Park University, Lawrence Hall, Dance Studio, 1st Floor, 201 Wood St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

WHEN: 9:30AM - 1:30PM

PURCHASE TICKETS: To purchase tickets visit www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.

Seats are limited and attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. Student tickets cost $5.00, Adult tickets cost $10.00. A continental breakfast and afternoon snack will be provided. (For those who submitted a screenplay to the competition, please contact Cait Murray at info@steeltownfilmfactory.org to reserve a seat.) A filmmaking book sale, sponsored by Joseph-Beth Booksellers, will also be available in the lobby.

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About Steeltown Entertainment Project: The mission of Steeltown Entertainment Project is to connect entertainment professionals, with SWPA ties, to projects, people and partnerships in order to support and invest in the socially and commercially significant film and media industry of the Pittsburgh region. Steeltown Entertainment Project sponsors several media initiatives in the area, including the FILM FACTORY and its Youth & Media Initiative. It is also working toward completing the documentary “The Shot Felt ‘Round the World: The Untold Pittsburgh Polio Story,” and creating an Entertainment Incubator and Investment Fund. For more information, please call 412-622-1325 or visit www.Steeltown.org.

About Steeltown Film Factory: The Steeltown FILM FACTORY (SFF) is a yearlong filmmaking competition, supported by a series of public workshops, panel discussions and staged readings, designed to engage aspiring filmmakers to create projects with Pittsburgh-inspired content. By bringing together local and expatriate resources in SWPA, the SFF will help to transform this region’s non-profit “Arts Sector” into a thriving “Entertainment Economy.” For more information on the Steeltown FILM FACTORY, please visit www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.

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THE STEELTOWN FILM FACTORY IS NOW OPEN!

Offering $25,000 in Film Production Prizes, Local Students & Aspiring Screenwriters Are Asked to Submit Film Ideas, Learn From Pros

November 13, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA – Everyone dreams about writing that big Hollywood movie, but now Pittsburghers are getting their chance thanks to the Steeltown FILM FACTORY.  Aspiring filmmakers can win a $25,000 production prize by submitting a 10-12 page Pittsburgh-inspired screenplay and learning how the film business truly works from some of the top producers, directors, executives, editors, and actors working in film and television.  The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2009.

On November 7, 2009, the first panel discussion for the FILM FACTORY was held at Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room and was moderated by Steeltown’s co-founder, Pitt professor and screenwriter Carl Kurlander (“St. Elmo’s Fire,” “My Tale of Two Cities”). Amidst Oscar buzz, panelist Geoffrey Fletcher, screenwriter for “Precious,” gave an inspiring account of the many years he struggled before this breakthrough project and reminded the audience of how important it is to write from your own unique voice. This message was reinforced by fellow panelists including working Hollywood screenwriter Rob Lieber (“Septimus Heap: MAGYK”), who described selling his first screenplay out of his NYU college dorm and learning the ropes of being a studio writer; University of Pittsburgh alumna Lauren Elmer of Sony Pictures Classics Acquisitions, who gave the prospective screenwriters an idea of what studios look for in scripts; as well as local screenwriters Stephanie Lord (Academy Award winner of the Nicholl’s Fellowship in Screenwriting) and Janyce Lapore, Action on Film International Film Festival’s Best Screenplay award winner for “Screaming My Heart Out.”  

For the Steeltown Film Factory, local students and aspiring filmmakers are asked to submit screenplays and take their shot at winning the $25,000 total prize package. The prize will be used to produce the selected one to three short films, with the funds being divided and awarded at the discretion of the judges. Applicants are required to submit a 10-12 page screenplay for consideration through the competition website at www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org by December 31, 2009. The winning film or films will be produced in the SWPA region during Summer 2010 and screened at the 2010 Three Rivers Film Festival.

The Steeltown FILM FACTORY seeks to connect talent in Southwestern Pennsylvania with entertainment professionals from LA, NY, and Pittsburgh.  The ever-expanding list of talented, well-known entertainment professionals, many with SWPA ties, who have signed on to review the submissions and participate on panels includes:

• Peter Ackerman, Writer, "Ice Age"
• David Conrad, Actor, "Ghost Whisperer," "Wedding Crashers"
• Doug Crise, Editor, "Babel"
• David Dalessandro, Writer, "Snakes on a Plane"
• John Dellaverson, Lionsgate Executive, Producer, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman"
• Faith Dickinson, Executive Director, Women in Film and Media Pittsburgh
• Todd Eckert, Producer, "Control"
• Lucy Fisher, Director of Film Studies, University of Pittsburgh
• Asher Garfinkel, President, Readers Unlimited, Author, "Screenplay Story Analysis: The Art & Business"
• Bernie Goldmann, Producer, "300"
• Rick Hawkins, TV writer/producer, "The Wayans Brothers," "Carol Burnett Show," and Point Park University screenwriting professor
• David Hollander, Writer/Producer, "The Cleaner," "The Guardian"
• Charlie Humphrey, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Filmmakers
• Dawn Keezer, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Film Office
• Mark Knobil, Cinematographer, "The Bread My Sweet," "My Tale of Two Cities"
• Rob Leiber, Screenwriter, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, New Line Cinema, MGM
• Melissa Martin, Writer/Director, "The Bread My Sweet"
• Jeff Monohan, President, 72nd St. Films
• Shirley Saldamarco, Owner, Interactive Media Productions
• Harish Saluja, Executive Director; Silk Screen Film Festival, Writer/Director "The Journey"
• Marty Schiff, Actor, "Dawn of the Dead," "Creepshow"
• Minette Seate, Senior Producer, WQED Pittsburgh's "OnQ"
• John Yost, CEO/President, Mogul Mind Studios, Actor; "The Korean”

The competition will continue to grow as more advisors sign on and screenplays begin to come in.  After submissions are received and reviewed by the judges, Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama students will perform staged readings of the ten (10) semi-finalist works on Saturday, January 30, 2010 during the FILM FACTORY’S next public event.  This event, and others planned for February and March, offers the public, as well as the competitors, the opportunity to learn from entertainment professionals how to navigate the process of creating a well-received and commercially viable short film.

Entry fees for each submission are $50 for adults, and $25 for students with valid ID. Benefits include 1 free ticket to all events through May 2010.

About Steeltown Entertainment Project
The mission of Steeltown Entertainment Project is to connect entertainment professionals, with Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) ties, to projects, people and partnerships in order to support and invest in the socially and commercially significant film and media industry of the Pittsburgh region. Steeltown Entertainment Project sponsors several media initiatives in the area, including the FILM FACTORY and its Youth & Media Initiative. It is also working toward completing the documentary “The Shot Felt ‘Round the World: The Untold Pittsburgh Polio Story,” and creating an Entertainment Incubator and Investment Fund. For more information, please call 412-622-1325 or visit www.Steeltown.org.  For more information on the Steeltown FILM FACTORY, including submission guidelines, rules, and registration for the competition and events, please visit www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.

Steeltown Entertainment Project Launching FILM FACTORY Competition

OCTOBER 30, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA  - Pittsburgh, long known to the world as the home of the steel industry, is now hoping to become the home of a new production center: the entertainment industry.  Steeltown Entertainment Project, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization founded in 2003, is hoping that their upcoming FILM FACTORY will be a catalyst in creating that industry here in our region.

The FILM FACTORY is a yearlong filmmaking competition, supported by a series of public workshops, panel discussions and staged readings, designed to engage aspiring filmmakers to create projects with Pittsburgh-inspired content. By bringing together local and expatriate resources in Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA), Steeltown hopes that the FILM FACTORY will help to transform this region's non-profit "Arts Sector" into a thriving "Entertainment Economy."

The competition kicks off at 10:30 AM on Saturday, November 7, 2009 with a filmmakers' brunch and panel discussion at the Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Avenue, Oakland, in conjunction with the opening weekend of the Three Rivers Film Festival presented by Pittsburgh Filmmakers. Tickets for Saturday's FILM FACTORY panel event are $10.00 adults, $5.00 for students with valid ID, and can be purchased at the door. FILM FACTORY is also sponsoring a VIP party at Concept Art Gallery in Regent Square on Friday, November 6, 2009 from 5:30 PM- 6:30 PM, and is a proud sponsor of the Melwood Screening Room during the run of this year's festival. For VIP event tickets, please contact the Three Rivers Film Festival at www.3rff.com.

Saturday morning's FILM FACTORY kickoff event is entitled, "Getting Started: Where Do Good Ideas, Great Scripts, and Talented Filmmakers Come From?"  The distinguished panel, to be moderated by Steeltown's co-founder and local screenwriter Carl Kurlander (St. Elmo's Fire, Saved By the Bell, My Tale of Two Cities), will focus on the various stages of script development and filmmaking, a theme that will be carried on throughout the Steeltown FILM FACTORY.  Panelists for this event will include other Pittsburgh natives such as screenwriter Rob Lieber, who as written screenplays for Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, New Line Cinema, Walden Media, MGM and is currently developing the screenplay of "Septimus Heap: Magyk" for Warner Brothers; "Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting" Academy Award winner Stephanie Lord; and Lauren Elmer, Sony Pictures Classics Acquisitions and Post-Production Supervisor for "Gracie."

In combination with the series of panel discussions throughout the winter and spring of 2010, the FILM FACTORY invites students (aged 16 and up) and amateur filmmakers to submit original film ideas for the competition. The FILM FACTORY will start accepting submissions on November 7th with the deadline closing on December 31, 2009. Submissions must include a 10-12-page script along with a logline, a one-page synopsis and an optional sample of prior work, and may be made via the FILM FACTORY website at www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.  A committee consisting of local and expatriate entertainment professionals serving as judges will choose the most promising screenplays. The $25,000 total prize package for the FILM FACTORY will be used to produce the winning film or films: one to three short films wills be chosen and the funds will be divided and awarded at the discretion of the judges.  The winning film or films will be produced in the SWPA region during the summer of 2010 and screened at the 2010 Three Rivers Film Festival. For submission guidelines and more information, please visit www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.

The FILM FACTORY is made possible through the generous support of grants, sponsorships and in-kind donations from such organizations as the R.K. Mellon Foundation, the Colcom Foundation, the Laurel Foundation, Comcast, YourCFO, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Point Park University, and the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

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About Steeltown Entertainment Project

The mission of Steeltown Entertainment Project is to connect entertainment professionals, with Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) ties, to projects, people and partnerships in order to support and invest in the socially and commercially significant film and media industry of the Pittsburgh region. Steeltown Entertainment Project sponsors several media initiatives in the area, including the FILM FACTORY and its Youth & Media Initiative. It is also working toward completing the documentary "The Shot Felt 'Round the World: The Untold Pittsburgh Polio Story," and creating an Entertainment Incubator and Investment Fund. For more information, please call 412-622-1325 or visit www.Steeltown.org.  For more information on the Steeltown FILM FACTORY, please visit www.SteeltownFilmFactory.org.