• Wednesday, August 16, 2017 1:16 PM | Anonymous


  • Wednesday, August 16, 2017 1:04 PM | Anonymous

       

  • Monday, August 14, 2017 12:35 PM | Anonymous

    Chris Kellet Erica Sperber Katie Shenot Paula Gregg

    Pittsburgh, PA August 11, 2017- Film activity in Pennsylvania is hotter than ever. With TV series like Gone, and Escape at Dannemora currently under production. PAFIA, the Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA) serves as the advocate for all things film throughout the Commonwealth, is pleased to announce the expansion of its Board of Directors.

    Based on increasing activity and heavy interest in supporting the PA Film Tax Credit, PAFIA has appointed new leaders and rising stars various areas of film: independent film makers, writers, crew, production coordinators, casting directors, and more. New to the Board are bright, young movers and shakers: Chris Kellet, Owner of Sync Speed, Inc., Erica Sperber, APOC Travel Coordinator, Katie Shenot from Nancy Mosser Casting, and Paula Gregg, Studio Mechanics Local 489 Craft Services. These members will be instrumental in influencing our membership rolls, fundraising efforts, and most importantly, working toward maintaining and expanding the incentive afforded to those companies interested in filming in Pennsylvania through support of the PA Film Tax Credit.

    PAFIA is a statewide community of everyone who’s anyone involved in film and fosters a network of crew members who share a common interest of bringing movies, television, and commercials to Pennsylvania. It provides complimentary educational and networking events for its members in regions such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and with the Board expansion, PAFIA will have a targeted presence and event offerings in both Lancaster and Erie.

    One main objective for PAFIA is to interact and educate the continuation and expansion of the current PA Film Tax Credit, which currently stands at $60 million. The organizations second biggest key area of focus is in the Independent Film community. PAFIAs aim is to foster growth within the indie community by providing a pathway to future larger endeavors; and it all starts with the PAFIA network. PAFIA will continue to vigorously engage the dynamos of the indie film community to participate in PAFIA in order to help grow indie film work in the state as well as grow PAFIA. This tax credit provides a financial incentive to studios and directors who are seeking filming locations. This tax credit means that you are seeing sites and cities around Pennsylvania in film and television as opposed to locations in other states and countries. Promotion of the film credit advances the objective of PAFIA to keep film work in Pennsylvania, thus keeping those workers in our state employed, and to have our diverse cities, towns, and landmarks shown to the world on big, small, and independent screens.

    For the latest set photos from movies filmed in Pennsylvania, information about PAFIA’s mission, our new Board members, and the PA Film Tax Credit, visit www.PAFIA.org or call headquarters at 1-717-83FILM-1.

    For additional information, contact PAFIA Headquarters at info@pafia.org

  • Tuesday, August 08, 2017 10:41 AM | Anonymous

      

  • Monday, August 07, 2017 11:17 AM | Anonymous

    At the end of June, there remained significant uncertainty as to the direction and timing of the state budget. Now, as July comes to an end, a different but similar form of uncertainty exists. While the $32 billion spending bill is now law, the mechanism necessary to generate the revenue remains unresolved.

    Last week the Senate passed a revenue bill that would generate $530 million from new taxes, including $200 million from expanded gaming, as well as natural gas severance tax. Additionally, the Senate approved $1.3 billion in borrowing against future tobacco settlement payments.

    Unfortunately the House was not part of negotiations that yielded this Senate product, thus significant uncertainty exists as the state awaits a "final" budget. And, without an agreement on a final revenue mechanism, various state government operations have limitations - including tax credits. Thus, the film tax credit, along with award letters for projects, are in a holding pattern.

    PAFIA remains very active, both from a membership perspective as well as lobbying activity, sharing with the Department of Economic Development the negative effects that will be forthcoming if delays continue. PAFIA thanks you for any advocacy you have provided to your State Senator or Representative.

  • Monday, July 24, 2017 11:38 AM | Anonymous

    PAFIA hosted a Meet-n-Greet between the PAFIA Board of Directos in the Pittsburgh area and the staff of Kassalen Meetings & Events (KME), their new association management company, on Thursday, July 19 at the Grandview Saloon & Coal Hill Steakhouse. The weather was incredible, the food was delicious, and the view was breathtaking. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another and to celebrate the launch of their working relationship. Thank you to everyone who attended!

      

  • Wednesday, July 19, 2017 3:10 PM | Anonymous

    By: Amy Sotereanos

    PaFIA would like to thank our corporate member Tague Lumber. Tague Lumber has supported PaFIA in the past and continues to do so with their membership renewal!

    Tague Lumber supplies the building materials for set building and construction for Pennsylvania productions.

    Since 1908, Tague Lumber has been providing quality building materials at reasonable prices to the tri-state area. They have seven convenient locations in Philadelphia, Media, Phoenixville, Kennett Square and Doylestown. All of their locations carry only the best quality of building materials, lumber and a wide variety of tools and hardware. Tague lumberyards feature convenient drive-through warehouses and easy loading, or fast delivery to your jobsite.

    With over 109 years of business experience to draw on, Tague Lumber continues to meet the challenges of the changing marketplace by offering unsurpassed customer service, fair pricing, quality products, and fast delivery…If you need building materials—Tague Lumber can supply what you want—exactly where you want it!

    They first heard about PaFIA through Sun Center Studios and were inspired to join PaFIA because of the economic benefits that production brings to it’s business.

    Katie Connor, their director of Advertising told us that in just the last several years Tague Lumber has provided building materials to over twenty-five film productions. Consequently, that influx of business necessitated our hiring new salespeople and billing clerks, adding yard guys to fill orders and recruiting more truck drivers to make deliveries. So, while Tague Lumber employees do not work directly for the film industry they have indirectly benefitted from the film productions lured here by the film tax credit.

    Film production in Pennsylvania matters to Tague Lumber. ‘Productions create a domino effect on the local economy. When film productions come to town that means the obvious infusion of cash into the community in the form of: lodging, food (catering and local dining), supplies, equipment and additional staff. The opportunities the film credit have created for Tague Lumber have been remarkable. In our case filming in Pennsylvania means a boom in building materials since every film production needs to construct new stage sets.’

    Looking to the future of film in Pennsylvania, Tague Lumber believes that the efforts of PaFIA give a voice to companies like theirs that might not be factored into the positive economic metrics attributed to the Film Tax credit. PaFIA accurately relays the benefits generated by film productions and the effect on local businesses like Tague Lumber.

    PaFIA appreciates support from Tague Lumber! PaFIA would like to thank Kevin, Katie Connor, and all the folks at Tague Lumber for their support over the past 5 years.

    Please visit our friends at www.taguelumber.com for a better look at their services, which include architecture, building, design, delivery, installation, and renovation.

     

  • Wednesday, July 19, 2017 3:05 PM | Anonymous

        

  • Wednesday, July 19, 2017 3:01 PM | Anonymous

     

  • Friday, July 14, 2017 2:20 PM | Anonymous

    Pittsburgh. Philadelphia. Lancaster. What do all three cities have in common? Active participation in Pennsylvania’s growing film organization, PaFIA. In case you’re wondering or already know, the acronym PaFIA represents Pennsylvania Film Industry Association.

    John Rokosz is a Pittsburgh PaFIA member and co-founder of White Ball Productions—a multimedia company based in Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in original film and music production. White Ball Productions won a 2016 Official Selection for the Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival for its short film production, Monday. Like any conscious artist and filmmaker, John uses filmmaking as a vehicle for purposeful storytelling that moves an audience to think beyond the present moment. The short film, Monday, presents contrasting shoes as the main subject—office worker vs. construction worker—in preparation of a workday to offer a different perspective, literally, in the midst of footsteps directing the necessity of human connection when one’s day does not go quite as planned. John shares an essential message for first-time filmmakers, college film students, and anyone struggling to get a start in the industry: “Take ownership. Take ownership of your craft, and take ownership of the message you’re trying to put out there. And take ownership of what it is in the industry that allows your craft to happen.”

    Where should you begin in taking ownership? John says to “Get involved in PaFIA. Get involved in your film school. If you’ve made it, come back and make an investment in your hometown.” Any filmmaker’s journey is a story that takes time to develop to reach the desired climax. Your climax is up to you, but cannot be reached without involvement with people working in the industry and on projects. PaFIA is Pennsylvania’s platform for city-state networking industry involvement. John joined PaFIA in 2013 because he was interested in the networking opportunities as well as understanding the purpose and advantage of the organization. Now, he interviews industry professionals and writes articles for PaFIA.

    The organization is moving in a direction to highlight up-and-coming Pennsylvania artists such as film students in college or first-time filmmakers who used Pennsylvania as their shooting location. PaFIA exists to help members connect with other industry professionals and to learn from each other through panel discussions and personal conversations from the many networking events. With a statewide mission to educate Pennsylvania legislators about the purpose of the Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit Program while remaining as an active voice that pushes for an increased tax credit, PaFIA is the place for any industry professional whether in TV, commercial, and/or film. When asked, John listed three areas of economic growth that the industry and PA tax credit can help bring Pennsylvania: increase tourism; generate an economic boost for companies such as catering companies, restaurants, hotels, car rental companies, etc; and produce higher enrollment for film schools.

    If a tagline were to encompass the start of John’s film journey, it may say something like: When exposure fuels personal discovery. Where does John Rokosz’s story begin? John’s journey began at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh studying Music Composition. Once he graduated, he didn’t have much direction until he started helping his friend who he’s known since freshman year, Jeff Balmert, on his student films. Jeff was a student of Carnegie Mellon University’s Master’s Program for entertainment technology. John and Jeff developed a feature film comedy script together and from there decided to establish a production company. The genesis of White Ball Productions was the collaboration of John’s first feature film script. Soon after, John and Jeff started making short films together. John’s initial interest lied in film music, but exposure to all phases of film production illuminated a newfound interest for John: filmmaking. Many artists would agree to identify one of your strengths so you can “take ownership” and flourish in that area. For John, writing is a strength that synonymously is his favorite phase of production: “My greatest love is to create. I love the idea of looking at a blank page and coming up with the beginning of an idea” yet his love is “an emotional rollercoaster.” The writing process can be emotionally exhausting, he adds, when you as a writer become stuck and lose your writing cadence but “the creation of a brand new idea” will always be the “most fulfilling” for John.

    John and Jeff, White Ball Production founders, are working to solidify their company brand and build a lasting reputation for creating good stories. Currently, White Ball Productions have three projects in the pipeline. John chose filmmaking as a line of work because he believes that filmmakers have an obligation to create stories that carry a positive message. John chose filmmaking to be instrumental in the lives of moviegoers: he has a story to tell and wants to use his films to “show audiences good ways to live life.” Films speak to people on a personal level. And John is one of the many filmmakers who respectfully utilize the film medium to work through people using artistic expression to engender positive change. White Ball Productions will remain busy producing various projects in development, and will gain attention in the film festival circuit, in the future.

    Volunteer and internship inquires at White Ball Productions can be submitted to info@whiteballproductions.com.

    TAKE OWNERSHIP: Write in if you would like John Rokosz to interview and write an article about you and your project at info@pafia.org.

Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)
461 Cochran Road, Box 246
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
(717) 833-4561  info@pafia.org

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