Hollywood Theater to Host 48 Hour Film Project

On a recent Friday, Jim Steinhoff was given a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue that had to be worked into a film.

That film had to be submitted that Sunday, and the Dormont resident is hoping his group's production will win in the Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project competition.

For the first time ever, the producers threw a curveball and made some of the elements the same for every group. Each of the films needed to contain a detective character named Paul or Paula Perry, an umbrella and the line, “I meant to tell you a few days ago.” 

Steinhoff’s group, which drew the genre “War or Anti-War Film,” was one of 24 out of 36 groups to successfully submit their film on time.

“This is the first time that we’ve ever worked together to make a movie,” Steinhoff said. “This has been the most fulfilling artistic endeavor I’ve ever been involved in.”

Screenings of the short films will be hosted Thursday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and Friday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Hollywood Theater on Potomac Avenue.

Steinhoff said he is thrilled the films will be shown at the Hollywood Theater—his will be shown in Thursday's 9 p.m. screening. After growing up in Buffalo he was drawn to Dormont by performances of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Hollywood.

“I owe my being in Pittsburgh to the Hollywood,” he said.

While the film project is celebrating its fifth year in Pittsburgh, the competition originated in Washington, D.C., in 2001 and has since ballooned into an international affair. It now includes the top 12 films from across 90 participating cities being shown each year at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to host the films at the Hollywood last year, because it was right around the time that it closed down,” said Kahmeela Adams, co-producer of the Pittsburgh branch of the project. “We’re very excited to do it this time around. It’s the perfect venue.”

The Project’s other local producer, Nina Gibbs, also has a history with the Hollywood. She has done media work for the theater and recently produced there.

“I love this place,” she said. “It’s such a treasure. There’s no other independent theater in Pittsburgh that has the feel the Hollywood does.

“The inside is so huge. That’s why it’s perfect for the film project," she said. "It can give independent filmmakers that grandiose feeling that they’re seeing their film on a giant screen.”