Featured Film
'I See You'
Zodiac Features' thriller I See You, starring Helen Hunt, became Netflix’s No. 1 film in the U.S. for a couple of weeks in late March, and the Los Angeles Times said "It’s rare to see a horror film so devoted to intricate plot mechanics and so concerned with driving to a satisfying payoff." Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, you can catch it on Netlfix.
Dailies
Two Disney features bound for Hulu and an M. Night movie among 8 Ohio tax credit recipients
Two Disney films, Ella McCay and Eenie Meanie, and M. Night Shyamalan’s next feature film, Trap, were among eight recipients of Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit program, announced at the end of July.
Projects selected by Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit program receive a refundable tax credit of 30% on production cast and crew wages, as well as other in-state expenditures. The eligibility criteria encompass a wide spectrum of creative endeavors, including feature-length films, documentaries, pre-Broadway productions, miniseries, video games, and music videos.
Four other projects, encompassing an array of genres and narratives, were awarded production tax credits, as well. The program’s goal is to act as a powerful catalyst, encouraging both in-state and out-of-state filmmakers to choose Ohio as the canvas for their artistic endeavors. Click through to read a bit about each.
Purpose, passion, and PAs: Meet Lamont Richmond II
A few days after Shooting Stars, the LeBron James biopic, premiered on Peacock, Lamont Richmond II dropped a link to an Instagram post from @MakeItUniversal in my inbox. It was a short feature about working as a production assistant on the film.
“I started in the hospital as a floor tech, cleaning floors,” Richmond tells us in the video. “I did that for three years. Got a call to be a production assistant. She said a P.A. No clue what the letters meant.”
And then there he was, on the Akron set of Shooting Stars, handing out call sheets and wrangling extras. I connected with that experience, having worked as a PA on a handful of productions some 20-plus years ago, and wanted to learn a little bit more about Lamont and his filmmaking journey.
'Rustin:' Netflix movie filmed in western Pennsylvania has release date
Shot in the fall and employing actors and crew from the Pittsburgh region, Rustin focuses on civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who helped organize and lead the 1963 March on Washington, will debut on Netflix on November 17.
‘Finish the Script’ challenge a ‘Sirens’ call for Northeast Ohio filmmaker Thomas Sawyer
In many ways, Thomas Sawyer's artistic odyssey began as a means of self-expression, a way to bridge the gap between his inner thoughts and the outside world.
“Growing up, I didn’t have the tools to effectively communicate my feelings and ideas, but through art, I discovered a way to connect with others,” Sawyer says. “I discovered that my true passion was storytelling and that film was the vehicle by which I could best deliver these stories. For me, filmmaking has always been about connection: connection through emotion, through ideas, and through encouragement.”
That passion was recently rewarded when Sawyer, a North Royalton, Ohio, native, was named a finalist in the prestigious Dolby Institute x Ghetto Film School Filmmaker Finish the Script Challenge.
Indie film ‘Just Peachy’ allowed to film in Butler County despite Hollywood strike
Actress Brittany McVicker is set to direct the inspirational film, Just Peachy, some of which will be shot in Butler County, Ohio. McVicker co-stars alongside Grace Balbo. Balbo is known for her appearances in films such as Oak and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix.
Just Peachy reunites McVicker with Goan filmmaker Milroy Goes, who joins the project as a producer.
Just Peachy will debut as a short film, with the intention of expanding into a feature film or series.
Behind the Scenes
'Striking Distance' writer and director looks back 30 years later
It may not be the greatest movie ever made, but to many Pittsburghers Striking Distance is remembered as a fun action flick that really made Pittsburgh look cool.
The Bruce Willis actioner celebrates is 30th anniversary in 2023. In light of Willis's recent retirement from acting and public announcement of his fight with frontotemporal dementia, a rare condition that usually shows up earlier than other forms of dementia, revisiting the summer popcorn movie has even more resonance.
KDKA-TV recently spent time talking with writer/director and Pittsburgh native Rowdy Herrington about the film.
Remembering when Hollywood - and 'The Deer Hunter' - came to Mingo Junction
Hollywood. The place where beautiful, wealthy, talented people live, work and play. A city that seems light years away from Jefferson County, Ohio. Yet, there was a time when Tinseltown came to the Ohio Valley.
Some of today’s most famous actors walked — and even tap danced, along the streets of Mingo Junction. And they won award after award for doing so.
It was the late 1970s. A film entitled The Deer Hunter was scripted and needed a location in which to shoot this movie about three best friends living in a steel-mill city and saying one last goodbye to their hometown before going to fight in Vietnam.
In this Review Online piece, the digital publication takes a look back at the making of the film.
You Gotta Permit?
Kurt Yue tells us what we need to know about the SAG-AFTRA strike
If you're not following actor Kurt Yue's Acting Career Center on YouTube, now's the time. The former Clevelander breaks down the SAG-AFTRA strike in relatable terms - namely how the strike affects regular working actors. Yue points out that the famous actors we can all name off the top of our head represent only about 1% to 2% of the more than 160,000 members of SAG-AFTRA.
He also reveals how much he made as an actor during his most productive year - 19 speaking roles, including a Marvel movie - and his take home pay might surprise you.