Steeltown began with the simple belief that Pittsburgh has the potential to have a thriving
entertainment industry, which could also be one of the region's major economic engines. This belief
was shared by leaders of educational, cultural, and artistic organizations in Pittsburgh as well as
former Pittsburgh natives working in film and television. It was always believed that anything we
accomplish would be socially meaningful and build upon the legacy of Fred Rogers.
The Steeltown Entertainment Project is working towards making this belief a reality by building an
entertainment investment fund that would ultimately invest in projects relevant to the region and
produce a return on investment through partnerships with studios, networks, and industry contacts.
Steeltown also serves the community by building the necessary infrastructure to support an
entertainment industry:
Establishing working relationships with local resources (i.e. Pittsburgh Film Office, Women in Film
and Media, WQED Multimedia, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie
Screenwriters, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, etc.)
Building relationships with Pittsburgh-native TV and Film professionals (i.e. Pittsburgh
Entertainment Summit)
Nurturing emerging talent (i.e. Steeltown Film Factory)
Educating the workforce (i.e. Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Holy Family Institute)
With these initiatives, Steeltown will help to establish Southwestern Pennsylvania as an
"entertainment greenhouse." Such a greenhouse will help to market the region in a unique and
powerful way, retain and attract talent, especially young people drawn to this business, and help
jump start a dynamic industry that will provide timely returns on investment.
Steeltown strongly believes in the strength and potential of a community uniting together to build
an entertainment industry in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As a result, Steeltown's board of directors
reflects people of foundations, organizations, and industries influential in the region. Steeltown's
advisory board is also reflective of talented luminaries who have roots and ties to the Pittsburgh
region. To see a more detailed list of the Pittsburghers working in the entertainment industry,
click here.
Pittsburgh has served as an "unconscious" incubator of entertainment talent and projects for
decades, largely due to its vibrant philanthropic, cultural and university environments. Over time,
this talent pool and their projects have left the region because Pittsburgh has lacked a
commercially viable entertainment industry. In addition to talent and projects, revenue and profit
earned from this "creative economy" has also been exported to other cities, states, and countries
because of the absence of a stable entertainment industry.
The Steeltown Entertainment Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 2003 by Carl
Kurlander (screenwriter "St. Elmo's Fire", writer/producer "Saved by the Bell"), Ellen Weiss Kander
(a former Wall Street lawyer) and Maxine Lapiduss (writer/producer "Roseanne," "Ellen" ) as a way to
tap into the talent and expertise of entertainment industry leaders who have strong ties to
Southwestern Pennsylvania. Together, they recruited a prestigious board of directors, including
Audrey Hillman Fisher, Kevin McMahon, Bill Strickland, David Lassman, Deborah L. Acklin, Scott
Bergstein, Andrew Swensen and Lisa Frankovitch. Their objective was to bring attention to this
"incubation" phenomenon and to create an organization that would provide a return on the region's
investment by helping to convert its creative capital into a regional entertainment industry that
would allow it to retain its talent.
Currently, the Steeltown Entertainment Project is operated by full-time staff members, part-time
staff members, and intern support.
Full-time and Part-time Staff
Jodi S. Klebick, Executive Director
Jodi joined Steeltown in 2007 with a exceptional track record
of success and accomplishment. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University, Jodi worked for
WPXI-TV, WIXZ-AM, The Frick Art and Historical Center, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, The Katz
Graduate School of Business, and eventually as the President of Klebick & Company, LLC. Jodi is a
Board Member of the Greater Chamber of Commerce and Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project and co-founded
Silk Screen: Asian American Film Festival. In Jodi's free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and
gardening.
Carl Kurlander, Executive Producer
Carl grew up in Pittsburgh but moved to Los Angeles in 1982
after winning the MCA-Universal Studios Scholar Award while attending Duke University. For two
decades, Carl worked as a screenwriter ("St. Elmo's Fire") and television writer/producer ("Saved By
The Bell") writing screenplays under contract for Columbia, Paramount, Universal, Twentieth Century
Fox, Orion, and Disney Studios, in addition to writing and producing over 150 episodes of television
for NBC, Fox, and CBS. In 2001, Carl returned to Pittsburgh, began teaching at the University of
Pittsburgh, and in 2003, co-founded the Steeltown Entertainment Project. Carl has remained in
Pittsburgh and in his free time, enjoys spending time with his supportive wife, Natalie, and
daughter, Campbell.
Kris Veenis, Production Manager
Kris joined Steeltown in 2007 with a B.A. in Communication and
Media Studies from St. Vincent College. Kris has served as the Post-Production Coordinator on "My
Tale of Two Cities," Sound Recordist and Co-Producer on "The Shot Felt 'Round the World," and
currently serves as Steeltown's Production Manager. In his free time, Kris works on independent film
projects, cooks, and plays hockey.
Jessica Pachuta, Program Coordinator
Jessica joined Steeltown in the Spring of 2009 as an Intern and officially joined the organization
as Program Coordinator in September 2009. She enjoys sharing her interests in filmmaking with the
students of Steeltown's Youth and Media Initiative. Jessica studied Film and Video and Applied
French at Pennsylvania State University where she interned at WPSU. Jessica has worked on several
local independent productions and has enjoyed volunteering with organizations such as Girl Scouts of
SWPA and Penn State's Dance Marathon.
Cait Murray, Film Factory Associate Producer
Cait has spent the last four years immersing herself in the Pittsburgh film industry. Highlights
include having worked with 1905 Productions, Fleadh Films, and Trifocal Media. In 2006 she served as
Production Coordinator on "My Tale of Two Cities" and facilitated the film's Sonoma Valley Film
Festival premiere. Cait initially joined Steeltown in 2007 as Office Manager. In 2009, she took a
one year hiatus and studied film and French in Paris at the Sorbonne and the American University of
Paris, and was honored by Women in Film and Media Pittsburgh Chapter. Cait is thrilled to return to
Steeltown in 2010 as Associate Producer of the Film Factory.
Volunteers
Kalpana Biswas
Kalpana came to Steeltown with an MBA in Marketing from the University of Illinois.
Kalpana has worked for Prescott & Associates in strategic marketing research and has come to
Steeltown to add filmmaking and grant writing to her resume. Kalpana hopes to create her own
documentary one day.
Stephanie Dangel
Stephanie came to Steeltown with a degree from Yale Law School
and has served as a producer for 1905 Productions' "My Tale of Two Cities" and most notably as a law
clerk for Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time
with her three adorable kids.
John P. Gross, Marketing Coordinator
John joined Steeltown in June 2009 and has been active in developing marketing,
fundraising, and online materials for the Film Factory. John came to Steeltown with a B.A. in
Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jason Leu
Jason joined Steeltown in June 2009 with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh and
has been instrumental in organizing the Youth and Media program since his arrival. Jason has
previously managed a restaurant and worked for Pittsbrugh Filmmakers in post-production.
Interns
Lidija Barbaric
While double majoring in music and biochemistry at Chatham University, Lidija
assists in composing music for Steeltown-produced videos. In her free time, Lidija enjoys playing
the piano and guitar.
Jon Cortinovis
Jon comes to Steeltown from Edinboro University with a degree in applied media arts. As an aspiring
filmmaker for over 8 years, Jon has completed his own films along with commercials, educational
videos and music videos. In the last year, Jon has lived between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, pursuing
production opportunities. Jon recently produced and edited a television show called "Warrant Unit,"
depicting the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department issue warrants to Ohio residents. Jon comes to
Steeltown after freelancing for a period of time and serving as the assistant director on a film in
The 48 Hour Film Project.
Molly Ebert
Molly is a senior Film Studies Major at the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in
Nonfiction Writing. Her love of writing has taken her in many directions, from movie reviews for the
online magazine, "Rambles," to drafting grant proposals for Steeltown. In her free time she loves to
read, paint, try new restaurants, watch movies and write movie reviews for her personal blog "Critic
Red Boots."
Terri Jones
Terri joined Steeltown to assist with Steeltown's Film Factory. Even though she is currently
majoring in Biology and English at Carnegie Mellon University, Terri has always had a passion for
filmmaking. Besides making films, she enjoys writing and spending time reading on the couch with her
miniature Dachshund.
Erika Knox
Erika attends the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a major in Communications Media and minors
in Theater and English. Erika will graduate in August 2010. As an intern, Erika focuses on video
production and editing as well as graphic design. Although she loves creative films and animation,
Erika hopes to get more involved in television and film in the future.
Dave Thomas
Dave is a senior at the College of William and Mary in Virginia where he is double majoring in
Marketing and Music. Dave is excited to be a new addition to the Steeltown Entertainment Project and
enjoys making music, reading, and sweet tea.
Declan Wilson
Although majoring in Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, Declan joined Steeltown
in May 2010 to further his education of the film industry, a career in which he hopes to pursue. In
his spare time, Declan enjoys making short films, writing, cooking and spending time with his
girlfriend Erica. Declan also loves all Pittsburgh sports teams.
Emily Winn
Emily is majoring in English and minoring in Public Relations at Westminster College. While at
Steeltown this summer, Emily will assist with the public relations and event planning aspects of
Steeltown. In the Fall of 2009, Emily studied abroad in London, England. Currently, Emily focuses on
her capstone, which is a photography-based project involving the depiction, interpretation, and
mimicry of famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. In her free time, Emily enjoys photography, music,
movies, art, reading, traveling and Pens hockey. :)
2003 - Steeltown produced the first ever Pittsburgh Entertainment Summit, which was held at WQED
Multimedia and the Andy Warhol Museum. Steeltown's advisors met with local civic leaders and the
cultural community to discuss Hollywood's decision making processes in order to identify strategies
that would make this region more competitive in attracting film and television productions.
Entertainment expatriates who participated in the Summit included director Rob Marshall ("Chicago"),
manager Eric Gold (Jim Carrey, Ellen DeGeneres), director Jamie Widdoes ("8 Simple Rules"), producer
Bernie Goldmann ("300"), and television series creator Terri Minsky ("Lizzie McGuire"). The Summit
included public events that were attended by more than 500 people from a diverse cross-section of
the region. Steeltown also worked with WQED/OnQ to co-produce a Mid-Atlantic Emmy-nominated one-hour
television special, "Pittsburgh: Hollywood's Best Kept Secret," which allowed a wider audience to
witness the dialogue that occurred at the Summit. It explored the region's rich cultural history and
included interviews with the Summit's expatriate attendees, including producer John Wells ("E.R.")
and actress Shirley Jones ("Oklahoma", "Carousel"). The Summit and the television special utilized
the volunteer efforts of over thirty film students and local filmmakers.
2005 - With the help of producers Bernie Goldmann and George Romero, Steeltown hosted a premiere of
Romero's "Land of the Dead," which sold out the Byham Theater and raised funds for the Steeltown
Film Factory. The event attracted such prominent filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino ("Pulp Fiction",
"Kill Bill") and Robert Rodriguez ("Sin City", "Spy Kids"), and was declared by the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette to be "as close to a love-fest as Pittsburgh gets without sports being
involved."
2006 - Supported by special effects wizard and Steeltown advisor, Greg Nicotero ("Land of the
Dead"), Steeltown attracted The Hatchery, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, to Pittsburgh
to film R.L. Stine's "Don't Think About It." Steeltown raised over $900,000 for this project with
one-third equity interest. The production, available on DVD, aired on Cartoon Network, resulted in
over $2.16 million of spending in SWPA, employment of 115 local residents, and usage of support
services such as catering, wardrobe, equipment rentals, hotels, and restaurants. To date, Steeltown
has earned back over $250,000 from its partnership with Universal Studios and The Hatchery, making
this a model of non-profit sustainability.
2007 - Steeltown brought New Castle native John Dellaverson, Chairman of Lions Gate Entertainment, to
Pennsylvania to meet with film students, government officials, foundations, and potential investors.
Through Cinegate and Lions Gate ("Crash," "American Psycho"), Dellaverson helped increase tax
incentives for film productions in Canada and New Mexico. Most notably, New Mexico's impact from tax
credit legislation has increased cumulative production expenses from $29 million to $498 million
over a four year period within the state. By bringing Dellaverson to Pittsburgh, he was able to
convince Governor Rendell to pass similar tax incentive legislation in Pennsylvania. Since July
2007, new legislation has increased film related spending in Southwestern Pennsylvania to over $78
million and has contributed to growth in jobs and ancillary services.
2008 - Steeltown partnered with Visit Pittsburgh & 1905 Productions for the premiere of "My Tale of
Two Cities" produced and directed by Steeltown's Carl Kurlander at the Sonoma Valley Film Festival.
The Pittsburgh premiere at the Byham Theater sold out and raised much-needed funds for Steeltown's
soon-to-launch Youth and Media program. Steeltown also organized a fundraiser for the Pittsburgh
premiere of "Bottle Shock" produced by Pittsburgh native Marc Lhormer, and partnered with the
Allegheny Conference on Community Development to celebrate "Pittsburgh 250."
2009 - The Steeltown Entertainment Project and Pittsburgh Filmmakers partnered together to launch
the Steeltown Film Factory. As part of this collaboration, Pittsburgh Filmmakers will provide
Steeltown with editing facilities, office space, library access, personnel, and screening rooms to
support the Film Factory. The Film Factory will launch on November 7th, 2009 in conjunction with the
Three Rivers Film Festival and will serve as Pittsburgh's first international filmmaking
competition.
Since 2003, Steeltown has focused on building people, projects, and industry relationships,
especially with arts organizations, governments, foundations, universities, and private businesses.
The last six years have been eclectic in nature but have been important in working towards our
goals.
With the Youth & Media program, we have been able to teach creative and technical skills to at-risk
youth, in addition to building relationships with the Grable Foundation, Holy Family Institute, and
Manchester Craftmen's Guild.
Steeltown is proud to say that it was instrumental in connecting John Dellaverson and Governor
Rendell in an effort to pass tax incentive legislation to make Pennsylvania more competitive.
Steeltown is excited to be part of bringing government and private entities together for mutual
benefit.
The launch of the Film Factory is another step Steeltown is taking to engage and enrich the lives of
aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers. With a small fee, participants will gain access to industry
professionals in addition to workshopping sessions and panel discussions all focused on developing
filmmakers' skills, talent, and abilities.
The last six years show what we can accomplish in the Pittsburgh region. We welcome your support and
look forward to making a larger impact in 2010.
