Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Pittsburgh Filmmakers logo
Location within Pittsburgh
Established	1971
Dissolved	2019
Location	Pittsburgh
Coordinates	40°27′21″N 79°57′13″W / 40.455971°N 79.953664°W
Website	http://pghfilmmakers.org

Pittsburgh Filmmakers was one of the oldest and largest media arts centers in the United States, operating from 1971 to 2019.^[1][2]

The non-profit institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania began as a filmmaking equipment access cooperative founded by Sally Dixon in 1971. The co-op remained a pillar of the organization throughout its life, supporting projects that grew to include an accredited School of Film, Photography, and Digital Media, the Three Rivers Film Festival, and three repertory theaters—most prominently the Harris Theater in the downtown Cultural District.

In 2018, the organization rebranded as the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media (PCAM); all film operations were ended in 2019 and NASAD accreditation withdrawn.^[2][3] The Harris Theater survived the closure of the larger organization; the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust took over operations in January 2020, and the theater resumed a normal screening schedule.^[4]

Phase 1: The Crumbling Wall

Starting in 1969, a variety of film programs were presented at The Crumbling Wall, a non-denominational coffeehouse run by the Lutheran Church on Forbes Avenue, across from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The proximity of these two places played an important part in the development of Pittsburgh Filmmakers: an experimental film series curated by Chuck Glassmeyer drew a regular group of interested people, including Dixon and Leon Arkus, co-founders of the Department of Film and Video at the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.^[5]

Phase 2: Selma Burke Arts Center

In 1970, Dixon started bringing artists to town to screen new work. She acquired a grant to purchase 16mm filmmaking equipment so that visiting artists could work on their films while in residence, as well as exhibit them.^[6] The group secured a space in the basement of the now-defunct Selma Burke Arts Center in East Liberty, and an organization, at first called "Pittsburgh Independent Film-Makers," began to take shape. The building included darkrooms and filmmaking facilities, and offered workshops in the use of equipment as well as screenings. The early presence of still photography can be attributed to the support of photographer Robert Haller, later Director of Library Collections at Anthology Film Archives in New York City.

Phase 3: 205 Oakland Ave.

In 1971, a more formal organization was incorporated under the name Pittsburgh Filmmakers, with Bob Costa as its first executive director. In 1974, when a lack of space became an issue, the University of Pittsburgh offered Filmmakers the use of an empty building at 205 Oakland Avenue.^[7] From its new location in the heart of the university district, Pittsburgh Filmmakers began to grow. By 1992, the organization had a staff of 18 full-time and 8 part-time employees, and was operating at four locations—the equipment facility at 205 Oakland, a classroom and editing facility at 218 Oakland, administrative offices around the corner at 3712 Forbes, and the Fulton Theater Annex in the historic Fulton Building at 101 Sixth Street downtown.

The subsequent executive directors of the organization were Phil Curry (1971-1973), Robert Haller (1973-1979), Marilyn Levin (1979-1983), Bob Marinaccio (1983-1987), Jan Erlich-Moss (1987), Tony Buba (1988), Margaret Meyers (1988-1991), Kurt Saunders (1991-1992), Marcia Clark (1992), and Brady Lewis (1992). Artist alumni during this phase include Greg Mottola^[8] and Peggy Ahwesh,^[9] who was also involved with the organization as a programmer.

Phase 4: 477 Melwood Ave.

The organization's longest-serving executive director, Charlie Humphrey, began his tenure in 1992 by mounting a campaign to modernize and unify the facilities.^[10] By the summer of 1995, Pittsburgh Filmmakers opened the first floor of 477 Melwood Avenue, its home for the next 23 years—a 44,000-square-foot (4,100 m²) space formerly used as Carnegie Mellon University's Tartan Labs. The first floor housed the equipment room, classrooms, darkrooms, offices, and the 130-seat Melwood Screening Room.

Also in 1995, Filmmakers lost its screening space in the Fulton Theater Annex; the exhibition program temporarily continued at Point Park College's facility on Craft Avenue in Oakland. Before year's end, the program moved into the Harris Theater, a former X-rated movie house located at 809 Liberty in downtown Pittsburgh. In early 1998, Filmmakers also purchased the Regent Square Theater, at 1035 South Braddock. In 2001, rehabilitation of the second floor of 477 Melwood was completed, which held more offices, digital editing suites, classrooms, a sound stage, a new gallery for photo and other exhibitions, and an additional 60-seat theater.

Phase 5: Marshall Mansion

In 2006, Pittsburgh Filmmakers merged with the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (PCA), following votes by the Pittsburgh Filmmakers membership, the PCA board, and the Pittsburgh Filmmakers board. The Pittsburgh Filmmakers bylaws were carried over as the bylaws of the combined organization, which took the new name Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (PF/PCA) and used the PCA's Marshall Mansion building in Shadyside as its headquarters.

In 2010, PF/PCA entered into further merger discussions with the Pittsburgh Glass Center, but negotiations failed by May 2011.^[11] Humphrey resigned as executive director in 2015.^[12] The 477 Melwood building was sold back to CMU in 2018, and PF/PCA consolidated its remaining operations at the former PCA location.^[13] The last executive directors of the organization while it retained the Pittsburgh Filmmakers name were Germaine Williams (2017-2018) and Dan Demicell (2018).^[14][15]

External links

• Pittsburgh Filmmakers: The Media Arts Center
• Robert Haller book on 1970s experimental film in Pittsburgh
• PFMI 1981 article

References