Correction: Vin Diesel's The Last Witch Hunter IS Coming to Pittsburgh

On 9/27, I published this after having a disagreement with a local movie worker about whether or not The Last Witch Hunter was filming in Pittsburgh or somewhere else:

 

People hope and plan for movies to be shot in the Pittsburgh area, but that does not always come to pass.

Take Frank or Francis or the YA movie Glimmer. Both rumored to shoot here. But it looks like neither is coming this way.

So the next major movie rumored to be coming to Pittsburgh but is not (at least not in any big way) is Vin Diesel's The Last Witch Hunter. This movie just got a pile of money to be shot in Canada, so it will be shot in Canada.

It's too bad, but movies will always follow the money...err, tax credits. It doesn't matter how experienced the crews are, how willing the extras are, how many different kinds of locations can be shot in a fairly small geographic area. The only thing that matters is who's giving out the tax credits.

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10/2

Well, I goofed. The article I linked to said that movie deals had been made in Toronto (at the Toronto International Film Festival), not that movie deals had been made to shoot in Toronto. Today, the Pittsburgh Business Times had a article saying that The Last Witch Hunter is expected to film in the Pittsburgh area early next year.

So it would be great to see a major movie shot in Pittsburgh next year, and it sounds like The Last Witch Hunter will be. My sincere apologies, I hate publishing incorrect information.

Foxcatcher Pushed Back to 2014, Teaser Trailer Is Out

So, there's good Foxcatcher news - the teaser trailer is finally out.

It looks and sounds great!

But, for those of us on the impatient side, there's bad news too - it's been pushed back to 2014.

Extra Casting Call for The Fault in Our Stars - 9/26 & 10/8

The Fault in Our Stars, based on the best-selling YA book, is currently shooting in the Pittsburgh area. If you have the time and a car, they need extras. You must be completely available on Tuesday, September 26 & Wednesday, October 8 for 12-14 hour days. You also must have a car. Pay is minimum wage for the first 8 hours and time and a half after that.

If interested and available on both dates, submit a recent photo of yourself as well as your name, age, phone number and car color, make and model to tfios.casting@gmail.com. They will contact you if you are picked.

Movie/TV Business Back in the 'Burgh

Tis the season - those familiar white trucks, extra lights and road closures can only mean one thing - the movies are back in the 'Burgh. There are at least two major projects currently filming:

• Those Who Kill, a TV series being shot for A&E starring Chloë Sevigny & James D'Arcy
• The Fault in Our Stars, a movie based on a popular YA book starring Shailene Woodley & Ansel Elgort

Mosser Casting is handling extra casting for both productions.

Later in the fall, we understand the second of two movies about Nikolas Tesla will be shot in the Pittsburgh area.

Over the summer, a number of us worked on ultra-low budget, local projects like The Other Side, an interesting take on zombies.

This fall, two movies shot last year, Out of the Furnace and Foxcatcher will be making their debuts.

Write Your State Senator/Representative About Extending the Film Tax Credit

If you do any professional film/TV work, it's been a very quiet time in Pennsylvania. I worked on some interesting but ultra-ultra low budget projects in Ohio (meaning - lunch provided) and a day for pay on Veep in Maryland (the episode "Running" which will be on HBO on June 16 - I play a race spectator). This is mostly because the Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit ran out months ago. Despite the fact we have great locations, crews and extras, Hollywood projects rarely come our way without a film tax credit.

State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi is in the process of getting co-sponsors for a bill to uncap the PA Film Tax Credit, which could help bring film/TV projects back to Pennsylvania. More film projects mean more rental dollars, more hotel dollars, more salary dollars and more tax dollars to the state. The film tax credit makes money for Pennsylvania and for Pennsylvanians.

Ask your State Senator to be a sponsor of this bill. Help bring film work back to Pennsylvania again.

Pittsburgh-Filmed Movie to Be on ABC Family in April

A few years ago, ABC Family shot a musical in Pittsburgh called Elixir starring Jane Seymour. Now renamed Lovestruck: The Musical, it will be on TV on April 21. Click this link for a short teaser trailer.

Steeltown Film Factory Script Competition Events

The Steeltown script competition has three events over the next three months:

• March 23: The Writer's Pitch, University of Pittsburgh
• April 21: The Director's Pitch, Point Park University
• May TBD: And the Winner Is..., Carnegie Mellon University

Check the Steeltown Film Factory site for more information and to buy tickets for these events.

These annual events are a fascinating way to watch the development of a short film, from the writer's initial script through funding for production.

Lend a Hand to Hollywood Theater

Dormont's Hollywood Theater has been trying to raise money to buy a digital projector. Hollywood Theater is the home repertory cinema and many unique screenings and events. For the Hollywood Theater to be able to remain viable in the future, it needs a digital projector to be able to show current or future films. Please make a donation to Hollywood Theater's Indiegogo fundraiser.

A Look at the Oscars 2013

Oscars

Perks Wins an Independent Spirit Award!

Pittsburgh's own Stephen Chbosky took the "Best First Film" Independent Spirit Award for The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Complete winners list.