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West Mifflin school may host movie crew again
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Hollywood may be coming to West Mifflin for the second time this year.
John Adkins, a location manager for Fair Hill film company, asked the West Mifflin Area School board Thursday for permission to use the closed West Mifflin Middle School and possibly the closed New England Elementary School for the production of "Foxcatcher."
The film is the true-life story of John duPont, heir to the duPont chemical fortune, who established an Olympic wrestling training center in Newton Square, Pa., and then killed David Schultz, a 1984 gold medal winner who came to live and train there. The movie is named after the Foxcatcher National Training Center.
Mr. Adkins said the filming is expected to take place between Oct. 11 and the beginning of January. He asked for permission to negotiate a contract with the district's solicitor.
West Mifflin Area Superintendent Daniel Castagna joked that Mr. Adkins could have "exclusive rights" on the closed middle school "forever." Mr. Adkins said it's difficult to find school buildings for movie sets during the school year.
The "Foxcatcher" production will bring some big names to West Mifflin. It stars Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum and will be directed by Bennett Miller, whose previous works include "Capote" and "Moneyball."
In June, parts of the film "Promised Land" was filmed at the former middle school. Mr. Adkins was also the location manager for that production. The district was paid $10,000 for use of the school.
He told the board that "it was a great experience" when Promised Land was filmed and that the district staff was extremely helpful.
West Mifflin closed the former middle school in late January when students were moved to the new $34.7 million middle school built at the high school campus. The New England school was closed in June.
First Published August 23, 2012 10:07 pm
