Pittsburgh-Centric Movie Starring Will Smith A Boost To Local Economy
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The hustle and bustle of Hollywood is right here in Pittsburgh.
Downtown Pittsburgh turned into a movie set today, with film crews working in closed streets.
It's not all that uncommon these days, with more movies being shot in the city.
But this one hits home for Pittsburghers.
Oscar-nominated actor Will Smith will play a former Allegheny County medical examiner who discovered a link between football-related brain injuries and dementia, during Iron Mike Webster's autopsy.
The NFL pushed back against Dr. Bennet Omalu's findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
But other people working to learn more about head injuries, like Webster's son, see the movie as a positive.
"If this movie and my dad's story helps that, that's better than super bowls," said Garrett Webster. "That's better than the Hall of Fame, those kinds of things. You know, if you can help people not suffer any more, not go through pain, I don't think really you can accomplish any more than that in your life."
While the movie will also shed light on a football epidemic, it will also help the local economy. The film industry has brought in millions of dollars over the past four years.
The state's film tax credits are helping to bring more of these productions to town.
"We hope that over the years they will increase the amount, because the more money in the tax credit means more work for Pennsylvanians," said Pittsburgh Film Office Assistant Director Jessica Conner.
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