To create buzz for the movie, Georgiades has even taken on the persona of "Coach Jason," dressing up like Steelers head coach Bill Cowher and filming around Pittsburgh with the Steal Phantom briefcase handcuffed to his wrist.
"We've already become a small local phenomenon," he said.
Getting footage of the real Steelers themselves has proven more difficult. Whisenhunt has yet to grant an interview; the Steelers that have ended up on camera have been caught around Pittsburgh with what Vincent describes as "ad-hoc shooting."
"We basically ambush," Georgiades admitted.
Some of the players have been receptive to the film's fan-power message. Others, however, haven't shown much interest.
"There was a (2005) Cleveland Browns game where a fan ran onto the field, and (Steelers linebacker) James Harrison kicked him up and basically body-slammed him on the ground," Georgiades said. "He was the first Steeler that we interviewed."
The chance to interview players has been a thrill for the filmmakers, who count themselves among, in Georgiades' words, the "notoriously intense fans" of the Steelers Nation. Still, the filmmakers' message is largely a condemnation of the materialism that has consumed professional sports.
"I don't think the fans are important anymore," Georgiades said. "It's the money."
Last year, the Steelers paid Roethlisberger $9.5 million in salary and signing bonuses while the median income for an entire Pittsburgh household lies just under $29,000.
"(Professional football) has become this big, almost pornographic showcase of money and wealth and players," Georgiades said. "It's a bunch of millionaires running around playing a little kid's game."
As for the play itself, the filmmakers insist that it's solid. "We watch a lot of football," Vincent said. "So we know how it's done."
But Vincent admits to one catch: "We haven't actually run it."
The filmmakers will fix that this Thanksgiving weekend, though, when they meet up in D.C. to stage the play on a local field. After attending the Steelers-Ravens game on Saturday in Baltimore, the filmmakers will give The Steal Phantom a proper test-run on Sunday, using a full 11 players each on offense and defense. The footage will appear in the film, set to be completed in spring 2007, and might even be sent to the Steelers as proof the play is workable.
"We've already become a small local phenomenon," he said.
Getting footage of the real Steelers themselves has proven more difficult. Whisenhunt has yet to grant an interview; the Steelers that have ended up on camera have been caught around Pittsburgh with what Vincent describes as "ad-hoc shooting."
"We basically ambush," Georgiades admitted.
Some of the players have been receptive to the film's fan-power message. Others, however, haven't shown much interest.
"There was a (2005) Cleveland Browns game where a fan ran onto the field, and (Steelers linebacker) James Harrison kicked him up and basically body-slammed him on the ground," Georgiades said. "He was the first Steeler that we interviewed."
The chance to interview players has been a thrill for the filmmakers, who count themselves among, in Georgiades' words, the "notoriously intense fans" of the Steelers Nation. Still, the filmmakers' message is largely a condemnation of the materialism that has consumed professional sports.
"I don't think the fans are important anymore," Georgiades said. "It's the money."
Last year, the Steelers paid Roethlisberger $9.5 million in salary and signing bonuses while the median income for an entire Pittsburgh household lies just under $29,000.
"(Professional football) has become this big, almost pornographic showcase of money and wealth and players," Georgiades said. "It's a bunch of millionaires running around playing a little kid's game."
As for the play itself, the filmmakers insist that it's solid. "We watch a lot of football," Vincent said. "So we know how it's done."
But Vincent admits to one catch: "We haven't actually run it."
The filmmakers will fix that this Thanksgiving weekend, though, when they meet up in D.C. to stage the play on a local field. After attending the Steelers-Ravens game on Saturday in Baltimore, the filmmakers will give The Steal Phantom a proper test-run on Sunday, using a full 11 players each on offense and defense. The footage will appear in the film, set to be completed in spring 2007, and might even be sent to the Steelers as proof the play is workable.
