The Dark Knight Rises, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Silence of the Lambs, The Pitt, Adventureland, Mayor of Kingstown… it seems like the list of movies and tv shows filmed in Pittsburgh never ends. With both local and national productions filling the streets of the city, you may be wondering, why Pittsburgh? Could it be for the yellow bridges that stretch across our rivers? The atmosphere of Downtown? Or for our array of sports stadiums? Well, the answer may surprise you.
Why Do Productions Love to Film in Pittsburgh?
Part of the answer is Pittsburgh’s historic beauty. Set Decoration Buyer Anne Stone has plenty of experience buying materials for sets in the Pittsburgh area. From her time with various productions, she has seen a few environmental reasons for filmmakers to keep coming back.
“The Pittsburgh area is a feast for the eyes,” says Stone. “We have beautiful old mansions and working class neighborhoods, modern architecture, gritty alleys, rivers, hills, steel mills, bridges, tunnels, open green spaces, and everything one could imagine. It could be a NYC street or an English manor house. It is hard to find many other places that offer so many great starting points to craft what is scripted.”
Pittsburgh’s History in Film
It’s not just the versatility of the landscape and the cityscape that makes Pittsburgh such a film powerhouse. In fact, the film industry in the city goes all the way back to 1905 with the opening of the world’s first movie theater on Smithfield Street in Downtown. From there, the 1920s kicked off a revolution in major filmmaking as many major studios like Paramount and MGM had offices in the area. Mamie Stein, president of the local International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees chapter and set dresser, sees this history as a reason for Pittsburgh’s strength when it comes to filmmaking today.
“From a practical standpoint, we have an excellent, experienced crew in Pittsburgh,” says Stein. “We have been building the film industry in Pennsylvania for decades. There is an existing infrastructure here to support it along with businesses that understand the industry and are able to provide us with things like lumber and paint.”
All of this may leave you thinking, “Why film in a dark alley in Pittsburgh if you can find that same alley anywhere else?” However, for large productions and small, too, there’s something about the people here and the character of the city that you can’t find anywhere else.
From a Producer’s Point of View
Producer and owner of Huntingdon Studios, LLC, J.T. Andrew looks at filming around the city for a number of different reasons but the people here (whether that’s crew, cast, or anyone he’s working with) definitely come out on top.
“Whenever I am looking for a location, my first thought is which of the local townships have the friendliest and most accessible government agencies,” explains Andrew. “The elected officials and employees in offices such as the Borough of White Hall where I shot my senior thesis for undergrad, are your go-to whenever you need things such as permits to close pedestrian and vehicular paths. I also like to look for locations that are owned by people who love to talk and connect with other locals. Securing a location can be tricky, especially if you are a student or an independent filmmaker, so oftentimes you need to pitch yourself first.”
This also extends to a national level when looking at why studios at streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu choose to come here as well.
Filmmakers/producers such as Co-Creator Hugh Dillon of Mayor of Kingstown for Paramount+ have found that Pittsburgh turns out to be as much of a character in the show as any of the stars on the cast list. Dillon actually found locations like Downtown’s Strawberry Way to be integral to his depiction of Kingstown. “So when it comes down to it,” continues Andrew, “the city has personality and locals unlike any other city in our vast country. We are a beautiful Commonwealth and the resources I have at my disposal within it as a producer constantly thrill me, so the attraction is not shocking to me.”
The Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit
Of course when you’re talking about larger-scale projects there’s the question of money. Funding a film is not easy and any cuts you can get, the better. Hiring outside of the filming location, bringing in additional help, and buying extra set pieces can all quickly add up. Thankfully, Pennsylvania puts the arts first with the Creativity in Focus initiative. Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Film Office (PFO), Dawn Keezer sees first hand just what a difference this initiative can make.
“The Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit Program offers a 25% Tax Credit to films that spend at least 60% of their total production budget in the Commonwealth,” explains Keezer. “This has not only brought in an increasing number of productions to the region – including a record-breaking 11 productions within SWPA (Southwestern Pennsylvania) in 2021 – it has also provided thousands of family-sustaining jobs to Pennsylvania residents and businesses.”
Keezer sees there’s no reason this growth should stop anytime soon. After working with plenty of professionals over the years, she personally finds Pittsburgh to be a city that has everything you need right at your disposal.
“This region has all of the building blocks to help the film industry thrive: economic endorsement, breathtaking topography, an impressive local crew, and both a supportive community and elected officials that believe in this industry,” says Keezer. “Compared to other major filmmaking cities, the Pittsburgh region is more accessible to both aspiring and veteran filmmakers who want to make an impact and enjoy their craft.”
Supporting the Future of Film in Pittsburgh
Though, if we want to keep this industry thriving in Pittsburgh, we need to be cognizant of how the tax credit needs to shift in order to keep projects cycling through. Stein notes that as it stands, the tax credit only offers $100 million each year, which means the credits run out just as quickly as they are added. Which means it’s up to us to let legislators know what needs to be done to support our fellow citizens and creatives.
“We turn away many projects every year due to the tax credits running out before the fiscal year is over,” says Stein. “If they were to budget $300 million dollars to the program, we could double the film projects coming here as well as the workforce overnight. This money goes back to Pennsylvanians who are holding down full-time jobs with benefits in the film industry, who buy houses here, spend money here, and are paying taxes. It’s such a win all around.”
Story by Kylie Thomas
Photo Courtesy of Denny Müller
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