2011 Filmmakers' Forum

Lisa Smith-Reed

Lisa Smith-Reed is a native of Dormont and received her B.A. in Theater from Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Smith-Reed spent over ten years working in film and documentary television including the Emmy nominated “Project Greenlight” for HBO, the feature film,” Abduction,” directed by John Singleton and “The People Speak” directed by Chris Moore and featuring Howard Zinn, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, Bob Dylan, Marisa Tomei among many others.  Smith-Reed was also a line producer for the Pollie Award winning First Tuesday Media and worked on political ads with diverse talents like Chris Keyser, Jenno Topping, Bruce Cohen, J.J. Abrams , Cameron Crowe, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and Larry Fong.  Smith-Reed has also produced several Discovery Channel series including “Fit Nation” and “SOS: Coast Guard” as well as numerous MTV and VH1 series.  Prior to that, she was on staff at both Pittsburgh Public Theater and City Theater where she worked with noted artists such as August Wilson, Marsha Mason, Keith Reddin and Spalding Gray.   Smith-Reed also sits on the planning committee for the Building Change Film Festival and is the Producer of the Steeltown Film Factory, a filmmaking competition based in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Andy McAllister
Andy McAllister is a biologist working in abandoned mine reclamation.  He became interested in filmmaking as a result of his work and made the film, "Out of the Ground",  a documentary about how Southwestern PA has been profoundly shaped by its industrial past.  He also has two documentary shorts, "The Ohio River Watershed Celebration" and "Faces of Farming:  The Search for Sustainable Agriculture in America".  Andy also owns Fortiter Farm, the basis for "Faces of Farming".  For his next project, Andy is planning a documentary on rodeos and bull riding, another one of his passions. 

Bruce and Bryan Koehler, North Shore Pictures
Bruce and Bryan Koehler grew up in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  Both attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Bruce for Radio and Television Communications, and Bryan for Speech Communication and Theater. In 1990 Bruce founded Pittsburgh Based Retro Media, a production company specializing in television commercials, industrials, post-production, graphics, and digital editing.

Initially more involved in the production process Bryan's administrative and management background has led him to executing many of Northshore Picture's more executive duties. His management, budgeting, and accounting experience has helped in all areas of the company's growth. His corporate duties began in 2008 when North Shore Pictures became an LLC and the film "End Game" went into production.

North Shore Pictures was established in 2006 when Bruce produced and directed his first low budget independent feature film, "Dark Wake". Using little budget and local cast, Bruce produced a gritty crime drama about dead bodies appearing in the rivers of Pittsburgh.

Their latest projects include "19 Doors", which will be released domestically on October 25th, and "Death from Above", due to be released next year. 

Hustlebot  (John Feightner, Larry Phillis, Joe Wichryk II)
Hustlebot is a comedy troupe that specializes in long form improvisational comedy and thrives on bringing and experimental edge to all perofrmances.  Whether working live on stage or on film, Hustlebot continues to produce some of Pittsburgh's most entertaining comedy.  In 2010 they won the Steeltown Entertainment Project's screenwriting competition and received a cash award to produce "Roll the Dice" which will be shown at the Harmony Ridge Film Festival. 

John Feightner  - an actor and improvisor, John graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Film Studies and Theater.  He is Producer, Co-Host, and Performer at Friday Nite Improvs, Pittsburgh's only all-audience participation improv theater.  He has trained under members of Chicago's Second City and New York's The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and performed improv at The Oberlin Improv Conference and Pittsburgh's CLO Cabaret.  John has performed in several plays in and around the Pittsburgh area.  His favorites include playing Einstein in Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile and tackling Angelo in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.  He has also taken part in numerous play festivals including The Pittsburgh Pride Theater Festival, The Theater Festival in Black & White, and the Red-Eye Theater Project.

Larry Phillis began his improv and sketch comedy career quite a few years ago as a founding member of the Cellar Dwellers, where he learned from some incredibly talented people. Later, he graduated from the Second City Conservatory Program, and took various improvisation workshops from other talented people.   Larry co-authored Sketch-o-Frenia, a book of sketch comedy and a play, Pilgrim's Progression. Larry dabbled in real theater a few times.

Joe Wichryk II has been performing for over 12 years. He is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory Program and has trained with a vast collection of improv performers. Joe is also the artistic director of The Cellar Dwellers Sketch Comedy and Improv Troupe where he participates in their weekly show FN' Improv which can now be seen on Comcast On Demand.  Joe has lent his performance experience to many high school and college theater departments via improv workshops, and has been the director of Blackhawk High School's fall plays for the past 5 years.  Some of Joe's most notable and favorite performances include his work on "The Outsiders" by Primestage Productions, performing with Husltebot at the Cabaret at Theater Square,  any Zombie roll no matter how terrible the actual movie, and his work with the River City Brass Band at Heinz Hall.