A Chat With Greater Philadelphia Film Office Executive Director Sharon Pinkenson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – We love movies, especially when they're filmed in our favorite city. The woman who has launched the City of Brotherly Love into the Hollywood spotlight has her own incredible story.
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On this week's "A Chat With," Jessica Kartalija talks with Sharon Pinkenson, the executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.
JK: What is your role with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office?
"I am responsible for the office that brings moving pictures into the Philadelphia region, to shoot here, to spend their money here, to tell their great stories here and for us to coordinate all the day-to-day activities to support the Philadelphia and regional film community."
JK: How do you feel about putting Philadelphia on the map as far as filming goes?
"We are very proud of all the work that we have done. This is a job that I love, it is my life. I am very proud of all of the accomplishments that we've had. All of the amazing films and television shows, all of the filmmakers who have grown up here, it's incredibly satisfying."
JK: Looking around the office, it's like a museum of Hollywood celebrities and they're friends of yours now.
"I'm thrilled that I know all those people and that I've had – I've been having this amazing career where I get to do what I love and get to meet some of the most fascinating and smartest people in the world."
JK: When it comes to creating movies in Philadelphia, what is your biggest accomplishment?
"We are living our life in Philadelphia. This is the greatest time for Philadelphia since the 18th century, so people want to come here and one of the things that makes me most proud is that the film-making in Philadelphia has really helped us to get to that place."
JK: What's your favorite film that has been filmed here?
"The movie 'Philadelphia,' because after all we made a movie that was not titled. Jonathan Demi wanted to tell a story about a city where there was an AIDs crisis and he wanted to tell the story about this lawyer."
"In the end, when we were very near the end of making the movie, they decided to name the movie 'Philadelphia.' And I was like, 'How am I ever going to beat that?' And Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, it was just amazing."
JK: Living in Rittenhouse, where do you hang out?
"Well I like my neighborhood. I walk to work every single day, back and forth to work every single day. I love this neighborhood. I moved there when I was 15 years old so I got to see a lot of changes. I love how my city has evolved."
JK: You have a signature style with your hair – it's the best and everyone knows you from your hair!
"It's not exactly a style, it's just my hair. I know, isn't that crazy? Well, every day I get up in the morning and thank my mommy and daddy because it's inherited. So what can you do, right? Go with it."
JK: Anything else you'd like to add about Philadelphia?
"Philadelphia has only grown as far as its come so far. I think that Philadelphia in the film world is going to really, really expand a lot more in the near future, and that's my goal. To expand the incentives for people to come to Philadelphia and I think what we've done for tourism is amazing. I think that's there's a whole lot more to meet, to be done so I have a lot of things to do. I gotta get back to work."
"A Chat With" airs every Friday night at 11 p.m. on CBS3.
