Promised Land and Out of the Furnace Continue Shooting, Other Local Movie News

It's been a busy spring (again) for movie-making in Pittsburgh.  Both Promised Land and Out of the Furnace have been shooting in the region since April.  In addition, the ultra low budget Monongahela also shot here this spring, featuring the Monongahela River!

Pittsburgh was also supposed to be the home of two TV series, but Hemlock Grove pulled out, apparently due to some tax credit dispute.

Trailers for movies shot here last spring are either out (Won't Back Down) or will be making a grand debut on the MTV Movie Awards on June 3 (Perks of Being a Wallflower).  The first poster for One Shot showed up at Cannes this week.  These movies will come out in the fall of 2012.

Foxcatcher, a movie starring Mark Ruffalo and Steve Carell, is sue to start filming in Western Pennsylvania this fall.

Potentially Bad News for Charlie Kaufman Fans

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that as of now (3/6/12) there is no deal to shoot Frank or Francis in Western Pennsylvania. While this contradicts previous reports on this movie, this is straight from the Pittsburgh Film Office's Dawn Keezer. It's not definitely off, but it's not definitely on either.

The Frank or Francis shooting in Pittsburgh rumors were rampant on local movie sets last fall, and the rumor hit the local paper last December. However, it did not seem to ever be formerly confirmed by the Pittsburgh Film Office.

So, while I hope this flick is eventually shot here...there's no definite word yet.

Out of the Furnace Confirmed for Spring Shoot in Pittsburgh

A few months ago, I read about a new Christian Bale movie to be shot this year called Out of the Furnace. It sounded like the sort of thing that could, indeed, be shot here. And so, it will be. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Out of the Furnace will be shot in Braddock this year. The Website Deadline: New York notes that Casey Affleck has been added to the cast. Scott Cooper, whose flick Crazy Heart won two Oscars a few years back (for Best Actor (Jeff Bridges) and for Best Song), is directing and wrote the script.

Promised Land to Film in Pittsburgh This Spring

PittsburghLive reports that Promised Land, a movie written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski, will start filming in Pittsburgh this spring. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the movie will also star Frances McDormand.

Steeltown Presents The Writer's Pitch

The Steeltown Film Factory has been running short script competitions for the last few years, culminating in three presentations involving the competition finalists. The first presentation, The Writer's Pitch, will run on Saturday, March 17 at the Frick Fine Arts Building at the University of Pittsburgh. Buy your tickets now - this event sold out last year.

Annual Look at Oscar

One person's opinions, on movies in general and Oscar in particular.

Pittsburgh Film Office's Oscar Party "Lights Glamour Action!"

Most years, I watch the Oscars at home, but every few years, I like to go to an Oscar party.  I went to one about 20 years ago in Worcester, Massachusetts when Billy Crystal did his famous Hannibal Lector imitation as host.    I was rooting for The Silence of the Lambs, which did well at the Oscars that year.

In 2004, I came as close to actually going to the Oscars themselves as I'll ever go.  I went to Hollywood for The Return of the One Party, the Oscar party for The Return of the King.  Billy Crystal again hosted.  I was rooting for The Return of the King, but never in my wildest dreams did we think it was going to sweep the awards.  That was the best place to have been on Oscar night in 2004.  That was also the first time I saw a lot of newly-minted Oscar winners, not to mention those bright, shiny Oscars, in real life.  Quite a night.

So what does it sound like when nearly 1,000 Lord of the Rings fan hear that The Return of the King won the Best Picture Oscar? Watch this clip from New Zealand TV The Return of the One Party.

While I've been staying home and watching the awards the last few years, it was time to finally go to the annual party thrown by the Pittsburgh Film Office: "Lights, Glamour, Action."  After all, Billy Crystal is hosting again this year.  ;->  While I saw most of the major movies, I'm not strongly rooting for anything, though I'd particularly like to see Glenn Close and Janet McTeer win for the woefully underseen Albert Nobbs.

If you'd like to go to an Oscar party and you live in the Pittsburgh area, there are still tickets left if you'd like to go.

Kate Winslet Probably Not in Frank or Francis

While this was reported in several places, she hasn't been added to IMDB and there's been no news on this front.

However, both Elizabeth Banks and Peewee Herman have been added to the cast.

Great Frank or Francis News!

Cool!  Two of my favorite actresses, Kate Winslet and Catherine Keener,  are in talks for Frank or Francis, Charlie Kaufman's next flick, due to be shot here in Pittsburgh soon! 

Pennsylvania Film Industry Association Event

The PFIAA is running an evening event.  On Thursday, January 19, Jake Meyers, the executive producer of the locally-shot One Shot, will come and talk about moviemaking at the Westin Convention Center.