You Don’t Have to Go to Hollywood to Be in a Movie
What do Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr., Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, 50 Cent, Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vin Diesel all have in common? Of course they are all accomplished actors, but they all have also recently filmed movies in Pittsburgh. A quick Google search showed that at least 48 movies have been shot in Pittsburgh since 2010. While many people have always known that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer, I could not help but wonder why major motion pictures have recently flocked to the area.
After doing some research, one reason, as with most businesses, is the price of production. Since 2004, Pennsylvania has offered a 25 percent tax credit to films that spend at least 60 percent of their total production budget in Pennsylvania. Moreover, many of the additional costs that go into making a movie, such as security, labor, etc., are also cheaper in Western Pennsylvania. Additionally, Pittsburgh's diverse landscape allows for a wide variety of scenes to be filmed in the same region.
The best thing about the recent influx of film production is that many steps are being taken to keep money and jobs in the region. While award winning actors will always be flown in for big movies, the film industry brought in over $300 million to the region's economy from 2009 to 2012. Furthermore, the money brought into the region has not only gone to the local film industry, but local business owners stated that restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and many other industries have seen more business when movies are being filmed.
Companies, like 31st Street Studios, are doing everything they can to ensure the industry is here to stay. 31st Street Studios is a sound stage and production company located at a former steel mill in the Strip District. According to CNN, the Pittsburgh facility is currently 300,000 square feet, which is the largest production facility outside of New York or Los Angeles. 31st Street Studios has not only provided the resources needed to make movies in Pittsburgh, but also has partnerships with national entertainment companies looking to film in the region.
If any of our readers are interested in making their movie debut, Will Smith's new movie, Concussion, has recently been looking for extras and websites such as Pittsburgh Film Office consistently post casting notices.
What do Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr., Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, 50 Cent, Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vin Diesel all have in common? Of course they are all accomplished actors, but they all have also recently filmed movies in Pittsburgh. A quick Google search showed that at least 48 movies have been shot in Pittsburgh since 2010. While many people have always known that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer, I could not help but wonder why major motion pictures have recently flocked to the area.
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