Category: News || By Submitted Reports

(UPDATE: Thank you to the Alert Reader who pointed out we had the wrong caption on this photo. See the comments, below.)

Braddock's Edgar Thomson Works, U.S. Steel Clairton Works and Kennywood Park in West Mifflin are among the Mon-Yough sights featured in WQED-TV's new documentary, "Pittsburgh From the Air." The film premieres at 8 p.m. this Thursday.

"Everyone at WQED is extremely excited and proud to share this program that celebrates the majestic and stunning topography of the western Pennsylvania region we often take for granted," said Deb Acklin, president and CEO of WQED. "There will be familiar sights, like the city's skyline and others that have never been seen from this vantage point before."

The U.S. Steel facilities are natural subjects for a travelogue underwritten in part by the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker. "Joining together with WQED to present this program was a natural partnership," said John Surma, the corporation's chairman and CEO. "We are proud to call Pittsburgh our home and believe in supporting the communities where our employees live and work, and organizations like WQED that play a role in those efforts."

But there are other, more traditional attractions to be seen, including Moraine State Park in Butler County, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and Ohiopyle in Fayette County, and the Seven Springs resort near Somerset.

Billed as a "first-class aerial journey," the travelogue is in high-definition for viewers who have sets that can handle the improved picture quality, and uses minimal narration from WQED-TV's Rick Sebak.

"I think the imagery speaks for itself, especially for native Pittsburghers," said Stephen Stept, director, producer and writer. Wheeling, W.Va., based composer Jamie Peck contributed the musical score.

The video was shot with a French-made AStar helicopter equipped with a high-definition Cineflex V14 camera, which incorporates a gyroscope that enables the lens to stay focused and stable no matter how the chopper was moving.

A WQED spokesman said production of "Pittsburgh From the Air" began in late 2010 at Heinz Field before the Pittsburgh Steelers' AFC Championship playoff game began and continued throughout the summer to capture the change of seasons in the region.

In addition to U.S. Steel, other underwriters include Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, and Carlow University.

WQED will be selling DVD and Blu-ray copies of the video in time for the holidays, the spokesman said.

(Editor's Note: This story was written by Jason Togyer from a WQED press release by George Hazimanolis)
(Correction, Not Perfection: The caption on the photo used in this story originally said it depicted "Clairton Works." The photo depicts U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Works. We apologize for the error, which was ours, not WQED's.)

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