http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_533656.html
'Silent Bob' speaks up about Pittsburgh film
By Jolie Williamson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Director Kevin Smith, whose controversial movie "Dogma" was filmed in the region in 1998, might be headed back to Pittsburgh for another shoot.
Smith appears set to shoot "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" in the region, according to posts on his news Web site, which reports that the shoot will be 40 days in studio and on location in Pittsburgh.
Smith wrote Monday on his blog that he is discussing "the Pittsburgh trip and at what varying stages all of us will head east to Western Pennsylvania. We're now 12 weeks out from the start of shooting, so this is the point where logistics start taking shape, vis-a-vis dates, where the family will live, whether or not the dogs will come, etc."
"I'm hearing they're going to start in January," said Ming Chen, Web master for Smith's main Web site. Chen expects the production crew to be in the area for two to three months.
Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, said she has not received official confirmation of the film shoot, but said production representatives for Smith were in the area Friday scouting locations. Neither they nor Smith could be reached for comment.
"We're thrilled they're considering shooting here again," said Keezer, adding that she believes legislation that took effect in July offering additional tax incentives to filmmakers appears to be directly influencing more filmmakers' decisions to shoot in the area.
Keezer said she has not seen a script for Smith's upcoming film, but that despite its title, the film is not pornographic.
A description on Internet Movie Database said the film is about two 20-something friends who decide to begin an amateur porn studio -- "a knockout story for their upcoming high school reunion."
Smith's films, including the raunchy 1994 comedy "Clerks" that started his career, usually feature cutting-edge humor and provocative subject matter. Such was the case with "Dogma," which starred Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and featured rock singer Alanis Morissette as God.
His Web site said casting announcements for "Zack and Miri" could take place in about two weeks.
Jolie Williamson can be reached at
[email protected] or 412-320-7822.