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On April 24th, students from CAPA, Westinghouse, and other schools throughout the region joined forces to perform music, dance, poems, readings, and digital media that they had created as a means to impact social change. They were joined by public figures like Sally Wiggin, Lynn Cullen, and Chris Moore. The students did such a great job, and were so enthusiastic that we've decided to do another round!

RSVP to Rachel@steeltown.org to reserve your FREE seat! And "like" our Facebook page to see photos and videos from our past events!

Steeltown's Take a Shot at Changing the World

Join us on May 19 at the Heinz History Center at 1:00 PM for the Take a Shot Film Festival!

Event is FREE and open to the public

Middle school and high school students have submitted their short films to the Take a Shot at Changing the World Competition. On May 19th at the Heinz History Center, the winners of the $1,000 "fan favorite" prize, and prizes in each of the contest's categories will be awarded. The films will be showcased as part of the event.

In this year's third annual Take a Shot at Changing the World Contest, Steeltown charged Pittsburgh teens with the challenge: "Make a Movie. Make a Difference." Over 80 middle and high school students responded and have created films about social change in Pittsburgh. Some tell the stories of Pittsburgh's past, and others share their own ideas to change the world. They've targeted issues like violence, the environment, education and more. Join us on May 19th as we feature their films on the big screen, announce this year's winners, and award over $10,000 in prizes!

We need YOU! Help decide who wins the $1,000 fan favorite prize by viewing and voting for your favorite movies! Voting runs through May 16.

Steeltown Entertainment Project's Take a Shot at Changing the World is a viral video contest and digital media initiative that challenges middle school and high school students to make movies and make a difference. We are giving away $10,000 to students whose films tell stories about people and movements that changed the world, and how they are inspired to take social action in their own communities.

Since the Take A Shot contest began in 2010, over 400 students from over 60 schools have made videos about Pittsburgh innovations and what they would do to change the world, winning over $20,000 in prizes for themselves and their schools.

This year, the categories included:

• The People Speak
  • How do the courageous people who stood up for change throughout history inspire you to take action? Make a movie that shares your own ideas for social change.

• Pittsburgh Innovation
  • Make a movie that tells the story of a Pittsburgh innovation or innovator.

• Polio: Then and Now
  • Make a movie that connects what happened here in Pittsburgh in the 1950s with current polio eradication efforts around the world.

This year also includes special prizes for films focusing on the environment and non-violence.

The Perils of Growing Up Flat-Chested

Film Shorts Screening with writer/director Yulin Kuang and Producer Carl Kurlander

at the Hillman Center for Performing Arts

Thursday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.

View the film shorts The Perils of Growing Up Flat-Chested and First Kiss followed by a discussion with director Yulin Kuang and filmmaker Carl Kurlander from the Steeltown Entertainment Project. Kuang's coming-of-age films were partially financed by Steeltown's Film Factory. Both speakers will address the myriad ways to produce a film locally. Enjoy some local goodies with the local films, compliments of Shady Side Academy.

Tickets are $5 but admission will be waived for Film Factory attendees.

See the "First Kiss" trailer and more information about the event at Shady Side Academy Events Page

Steeltown Film Factory will announce the winner or winners of the contest on May 11, 2013 at the final event, And the Winner Is...

The event will be held at Carnegie Mellon University at 11:00 AM, doors will open at 10:30 AM.

More details to come.

Visit www.steeltownfilmfactory.org for more information about the competition.
Click here to read the first and second versions of the five semi-finalists' scripts.

The People Speak Live, presented by

students at Westinghouse and CAPA.

On Wednesday, April 24, at 7:00 PM, students from CAPA and Westinghouse will bring history to life.

Inspired by moments and stories throughout U.S. history, they have created dance, poetry, music, and visual arts that reflect how they would see their place in the world and how they can make a difference.

Some of Pittsburgh's best-known activists will be performing alongside the students. Watch Sally Wiggin of WTAE, Lynn Cullen, of Lynn Cullen Live, Chris Moore of WQED's Black Horizons, and CAPA's own Kate Daher join the students on stage!

Hear their voices.

Location: Pittsburgh CAPA, 111 Ninth St., Downtown Pittsburgh

RSVP to Rachel@steeltown.org

Are you a middle school or high school student interested in performing? Email Rachel@steeltown.org or call 412-251-0890 to find out more!

www.takeashotcontest.org

Join us for the second event of the FILM FACTORY competition!

Saturday, April 20th ,
11:00 AM (doors open at 10:30 AM
Point Park University, GRW Theatre.

Panelists include:
Chris Keyser (Writers Guild of America President and creator of "Party of Five")
Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts (writer/producers of "Revenge," "Pushing Daisies," "Roswell")

Click here to see the five semi-finalists

www.steeltownfilmfactory.org

Twelve quarter-finalists and their scripts will compete on March 23, 2013

The Steeltown Entertainment Project is proud to announce the 2013 Film Factory competition finalists. This year, 12 scripts have been chosen from a record 256 entries. The writers will pitch their short film ideas to a panel of entertainment industry professionals during FILM FACTORY: The Writer's Pitch, to be held at 11 a.m. on March 23 at the University of Pittsburgh's Frick Fine Arts Building. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Now in its fourth year, the competition successfully connects top Hollywood film and television professionals with local, emerging talent.

"This year's entries are outstanding and highlight the wealth of talent here in Pittsburgh," Carl Kurlander, Steeltown Entertainment Project's President and CEO, said. "The Film Factory Competition proves that our region has what it takes to be a player in creating world-class entertainment. We are excited that previous Film Factory finalists have had their films screened at national festivals, picked up for distribution, and bought by a major Hollywood studio. And the competition continues to grow at a rapid pace and provide aspiring filmmakers with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase their skills."

The finalists (and their films) are in alphabetical order: Randy Baumann (Tire Stem Sushi), Brandon Clemens (Meet-Cute), Laci Corridor (Two Thousand Bridges), Jarrett Fisher-Forester (The Escapist), Kevin Fuller (Cruelty Towards Animals), Heather Gray (Life After Deaf), Bruce Johnson (Fish), Samuel Krebs (Couriers), Dennis Schebetta (My Date With Adam), Glenn Syska (The Sketch), Cameron Roeback (The Greater Image), and Dan Wilkerson (Secondhand Start).

Panelists from Los Angeles, New York and Pittsburgh, including Pittsburgh Northside native, Rusty Cundieff, director, writer and actor for various movies and television programs including Comedy Central's and as director of the horror anthology Tales from the Hood and Movie 43, Asher Garfinkel, founder of Readers Unlimited, and University of Pittsburgh graduate, Douglas Crise, Oscar nominated for his editing work on the film Babel and editor of the much-anticipated new film Spring Breakers, will review each of the finalist's 12-page scripts. Each finalist will have a chance to re-write their scripts given notes by the panel and then five will be selected to move on to a semi-final round in April. The winning writers, to be chosen this May, will be awarded a trip to Hollywood to meet with Steeltown advisers, along with up to $30,000 to film the movie in Pittsburgh.

Quarter-finalists of the 2013 FILM FACTORY Competition will be announced on March 8th.

Steeltown's FILM FACTORY Competition presents three exciting events this spring:

Event 1: The Writer's Pitch, 3/23/13 at University of Pittsburgh

Event 2: The Director's Pitch, 4/20/13 at Point Park University

Event 3: And the Winner is..., 5/11/13 at Carnegie Mellon Univeristy

Learn about the film industry from our panels of industry professionals and watch as the top writers of the 2013 FILM FACTORY competition pitch their short film ideas. Who will win up to $30,000 to make their short film in Southwestern Pennsylvania? 

Visit www.steeltownfilmfactory.org for more information! 

November 5, 2012 7:00 PM Regent Square Theater

The FILM FACTORY Kicks off the 2013 competition at the Three Rivers Film Festival!

Read more: Film Factory 2013 Kick-off event

By Maria Sciullo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

There are reality shows about pawnshop owners, handfishin' hillbillies, gold miners, toddling beauty queens, toddling drunken Jersey Shore natives, hoarders, house flippers, singers, dancers, fashion designers, tattoo designers, drag queens, rich housewives of all stripes and, of course, a clan called Kardashian.

Anyone else out there want to be a reality star? Pittsburgh, Bob Kusbit and Ellen Berkman Davis want you.

Read more: Reality show looks for 'stars' locally