Once known for making steel and dirty living conditions, Pittsburgh is quickly reinventing itself as the Hollywood of the East. There aren’t any signs of Pittsburgh’s presence in the film industry decreasing any time soon either.
Since the 1940’s, filmmakers have been drawn to Pittsburgh’s diverse topography and architecture. At the height of Pittsburgh’s popularity, about 10 major movies a year were being produced here. Unfortunately, due to tax incentives being higher elsewhere, filmmakers began to opt to go to places like Canada that offer higher incentives.
Today, Pennsylvania offers filmmakers a 25 percent tax credit to those who spend at least 60 percent of their total budget in the state.
While there are other countries and states that offer a higher tax credit, I think that ours is effective for the area. It’s high enough that it attracts filmmakers to the Pittsburgh area, but it is also low enough that it still brings a lot of revenue in for the state.
Oftentimes, we are unaware of just how many popular movies were filmed in the Pittsburgh area in the past. Some of the more recognizable movies are “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012), “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) and “The Fault in Our Stars” (2014).
“The Chair”, a recently debuted Pittsburgh-based reality TV show, explores what would happen if two different directors directed the same movie. The producer, Chris Moore, decided to give $850,000 to two little-known directors so that they could produce two films using the same script. The production process of both films will be chronicled in a 10-week series currently airing on Starz.
This filming process was particularly fascinating for Point Park students because of the University’s partnership with the series. The series employed a great deal of Point Park students and alumni, giving them experience that will contribute to them being successful in the real world.
Working on this project is exciting for prospective film students, as well as the film students that are already here. Being able to have the opportunity to work in a real world setting while in school is excellent for rising filmmakers.
Pittsburgh is a visually appealing place that most certainly looks good on camera. Filmmakers have many different types of terrain at their disposal when coming here. There’s city life, suburban life and country life all within an hour radius of the heart of the city.
Because Pittsburgh has been historically known for its dirtiness and its steel mills, people that live across the country don’t realize what an innovative city Pittsburgh has become. This rise of the film industry contributes to the reinvention of the city’s image. Some filmmakers have even started to refer to Pittsburgh as “Hollywood’s hidden gem” because of its unknown beauty. I absolutely think we will continue to see bigger and better major motion pictures being filmed here in the future.
