Dear Friends of Steeltown,
I’m so excited to share The Reel Teens‘ entertainment episode with you.
Our teens meet some of the extraordinary people involved in Pittsburgh’s growing entertainment industry. In the episode, the teens:
- go behind the scenes with Downward Dog creator Michael Killen,
- visit the old Westinghouse Research Facility to interview Donora native and “Ghost Whisperer” producer Kim Moses who is in town flming her new series for ABC,
- get a glimpse of Steeltown’s first Film Lab and see the production of the community teaching film The Rehabilitation of the Hill, and
- create particularly funny and moving piece of this year’s Elly Awards including one of the last public appearances by director George Romero.
While all of these people and stories are inspiring, the real stars of the show are the teens themselves, who continue to do the impossible– producing, directing and hosting a high quality, entertaining half hour of television. These teens reminds us all why Pittsburgh is such a special place.
One particular poignant story featured in this episode is our own Haji Muya, who was recently profiled by the Post Gazette. We met Haji, a Somalian refugee, through our Youth and Media program ten years ago. This year, he worked as the assistant cameraman on The Rehabilitation of The Hill. Today, Haji gives back himself as a teaching artists who works with our teens.
This episode of The Reel Teens: Pittsburgh is as good as many network television shows produced with millions of dollars. While we don’t have a marketing budget to match the networks, we know we can get the word out with your help. Please tell your friends and share on social media, especially with anyone passionate about Pittsburgh and the entertainment industry.
Sincerely,
Carl Kurlander