News Release
Local Filmmakers Seek to Honor Pittsburgh with Series of Short Films
As the big 250 sneaks up on “the ‘burgh,” local filmmakers Kristen Lauth Shaeffer and Andrew Halasz have found their own way to commemorate the city … through a series of short films collectively titled ‘Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives.’ From now through January 1, 2008, Shaeffer and Halasz invite filmmakers to submit story treatments highlighting one of the many diverse neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. The stories that speak most strongly to the character of their backdrop will be selected for a 10-minute cameo in what Shaeffer and Halasz expect to be a full-length, moving portrait of Pittsburgh and its surrounding suburbs.
“Each one of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods has a distinct personality, which, when combined with the allure of fiction, provides a unique interpretation of the city,” said Halasz, an instructor at Point Park University. “Our goal with this project is to capture the contrast in our city’s communities.”
Inspired by the film ‘Paris je t’aime,’ a compilation of 18 short films celebrating the neighborhoods of Paris, Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives hopes to use multiple storytellers in crafting its program.
“We want to depict life in Pittsburgh from multiple points of view,” explains Shaeffer, a born-and-bred Pittsburgher and instructor at Chatham University, “… and who better to tell the story than those who have lived and worked here themselves?”
An advisory panel, whose constituents include filmmaker Tony Buba, producer Melissa Martin, and Women in Film and Media Executive Director Faith Dickinson, will review each treatment for its grasp of fiction and representation of setting. Selected candidates will then be engaged to write a script and begin production on their 10-minute tribute to Pittsburgh. According to Halasz, each of the filmmakers will be responsible for producing and directing their own shorts.
“A project such as this creates a sense of camaraderie among the local film community,” Halasz points out. “This is the perfect opportunity for filmmakers to gain valuable exposure.” adds Shaeffer.
When Pittsburgh Neighborhood Narratives is ready for its close-up, Halasz and Shaeffer plan to screen the film in communities from which the stories originated. They plan to reach this stage by early next fall, incorporating the film’s debut into Pittsburgh 250 activities.
“This won’t be a documentary of Pittsburgh,” said Shaeffer, emphasizing the project’s fictional narrative approach, “but, hopefully, it will provide future generations with a deeper insight into our city’s culture.”
For more information about the project and specific instructions for submissions, visit the website at pghneighborhoodnarratives.com.
Contact: Kristen Lauth Shaeffer
Phone: (412) 965-9271
E-mail: greetings@pghneighborhoodnarratives.com