Steeltown Film Factory Competition

via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

On May 12, the winner of the 2012 Steeltown Film Factory competition will be announced -- along with a new award named in honor of co-founder Ellen Weiss Kander of Squirrel Hill.

The contest launched by Steeltown Entertainment Project drew 180 scripts, now whittled to three finalists: "Echo Torch" by Christopher Preksta, creator of the SyFy Web series "The Mercury Men" and YouTube favorite "Pittsburgh Dad"; "Perils of Being Flat Chested" by Yulin Kuang, a 2011 finalist about to graduate from Carnegie Mellon University; and "Escape From St. Quentin's" by writing team Scott Peters and Anthony Poremski.

CMU Drama School students will read the final three revised scripts -- also available at www.steeltownfilmfactory.org -- for an audience and panel of judges at the "And the Winner Is ..." finale.

Scheduled to select the winner: actor David Conrad, an Edgewood native who could return to TV if NBC picks up the pilot "Beautiful People"; Emmy-winning producer Bob Kusbit; "Sesame Street" director Jim Martin; Steeltown's first intern turned producer Tom Pellegrini, an Ambridge native whose "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" recently played at the Manor Theater; and Steve Cuden, co-creator of the musical "Jekyll & Hyde" and writer of animated TV shows.

Comedian, writer and producer Maxine Lapiduss will present the Ellen Weiss Kander Award to the winner or winners who will receive a total of $30,000 to turn their script into a short film.

The seeds for the Film Factory were planted in 2003 in the living room of Ms. Weiss Kander after the Steeltown Entertainment Summit at WQED. The competition emerged as a way for Pittsburgh expatriates to give back and serve as mentors for a new generation of talent in their hometown.

The first funds were raised in 2005 at a sold-out screening of "Land of the Dead" at the Byham Theater that doubled as a salute to George Romero, the godfather of ghouls who put the city on the moviemaking map. The event drew such hip luminaries as Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg.

By naming the award after Ms. Weiss Kander, it celebrates her persistence, dedication and passion and makes good on those long-ago conversations about allowing Pittsburgh to lead the charge into the digital age as it did during the industrial days, Steeltown co-founder Carl Kurlander says.

The May 12 event will be held in CMU's Purnell Center for the Arts. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., competition starts at 11 a.m. and advance tickets -- $15 for general admission, $5 for students -- are recommended. Go to www.steeltownfilmfactory.org or call 412-622-1325.