Rick Sebak
Encyclopedia
Richard "Rick" Sebak is an American
film director
and producer
who lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
in the United States
.
Sebak is the creator of the "scrapbook documentary" genre, many of which he has created for WQED
and PBS. Sebak attended Bethel Park High School
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate.
Sebak's first foray in the nostalgia documentary is the 1984 documentary Shag for South Carolina ETV, about a dance popular in the region. Four years later at WQED, Sebak produced The Mon, The Al & The O, about the Monongahela
, Allegheny
, and Ohio
rivers, which meet to form at Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle; and Kennywood Memories, about Kennywood
, a historic local amusement park.
As of March 2006, 313,227 copies of Sebak's films had been sold or given away as pledge gifts by public television stations nationwide, which WQED credits with largely helping it become financially solvent.
Sebak's scrapbook documentary format has been copied by other stations, many of whom see record pledge drive
numbers when their documentaries air at pledge time.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
who lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Sebak is the creator of the "scrapbook documentary" genre, many of which he has created for WQED
WQED (TV)
WQED is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established April 1, 1954, it was the first community-sponsored television station in the United States as well as the fifth public TV station...
and PBS. Sebak attended Bethel Park High School
Bethel Park High School
Bethel Park High School, also called BPHS, is a four-year, comprehensive high school located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, with an enrollment of 1,937 students in grades 9–12. Set up much like a college campus, it consists of eight buildings on an campus. Its curriculum includes ten Advanced...
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate.
Sebak's first foray in the nostalgia documentary is the 1984 documentary Shag for South Carolina ETV, about a dance popular in the region. Four years later at WQED, Sebak produced The Mon, The Al & The O, about the Monongahela
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
, Allegheny
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, and Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
rivers, which meet to form at Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle; and Kennywood Memories, about Kennywood
Kennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
, a historic local amusement park.
As of March 2006, 313,227 copies of Sebak's films had been sold or given away as pledge gifts by public television stations nationwide, which WQED credits with largely helping it become financially solvent.
Sebak's scrapbook documentary format has been copied by other stations, many of whom see record pledge drive
Pledge drive
A pledge drive is an extended period of fundraising activities, generally used by public broadcasting stations to increase contributions. The term "pledge" originates from the promise a contributor makes to send in funding at regular intervals for a certain amount of time...
numbers when their documentaries air at pledge time.
Filmography
- The Mon, The Al & The O (1988)
- Kennywood Memories (1988)
- Holy Pittsburgh! (1989)
- Our Neighbor Fred Rogers (Two versions: 1989, 1990)
- Flying Off The Bridge To Nowhere! And Other Tales Of Pittsburgh Bridges (1990)
- Things That Aren’t There Anymore (1990)
- Downtown Pittsburgh (Rick Sebak film) (1992)
- The Pennsylvania Road Show (1992)
- Pennsylvania Diners And Other Roadside RestaurantsPennsylvania Diners And Other Roadside RestaurantsPennsylvania Diners & Other Roadside Restaurants is a 1993 documentary created by Rick Sebak. The program originated in a 1992 item in The Pennsylvania Road Show about Lee's Diner. It was to be called "Pennsylvania Diners" but added "Other Roadside Restaurants" to cover other establishments than...
(1993) - Stuff That’s Gone (1994)
- Houses Around Here (1994)
- The Strip Show (Rick Sebak film) (1996)
- An Ice Cream Show (1996)
- Shore ThingsShore ThingsShore Things is a 1996 PBS television documentary by Rick Sebak of WQED Pittsburgh. The show profiles American beaches, the things they are known for, and other notable facts.The beaches and other things featured are:...
(1996) - North Side Story (1997)
- South Side (Rick Sebak film) (1998)
- Things That Are Still Here (1999)
- A Hot Dog Program (1999)
- Great Old Amusement ParksGreat Old Amusement ParksGreat Old Amusement Parks is a 1999 PBS television documentary by Rick Sebak of WQED Pittsburgh.*Idlewild and Soak Zone — Ligonier, Pennsylvania*Cedar Point — Sandusky, Ohio*Astroland — New York, New York...
(1999) - Something About Oakland (2000)
- Pittsburgh A To ZPittsburgh A To ZPittsburgh A To Z is a 2001 documentary created by Rick Sebak about 26 things about the City of Pittsburgh for every Letter of the Alphabet. Sebak included a larger area than just the city. In addition to the city, they include Somerset County, Fayette County, and Lawrence County. They had no rules...
(2001) - A Flea Market Documentary (2001)
- Sandwiches That You Will LikeSandwiches That You Will LikeSandwiches That You Will Like is a 2002 PBS documentary by Rick Sebak of WQED. The unique sandwich offerings of cities across the United States are shown, from those that are often found outside of their city of origin to the...
(2002) - Happy Holidays in Pittsburgh (2002)
- Things We've Made (2003)
- Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor (2003)
- It's the Neighborhoods (2004)
- A Program About Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff is a 2004 PBS documentary that showcases mimetic and noveltyNovelty architectureNovelty architecture is a type of architecture in which buildings and other structures are given unusual shapes as a novelty, such as advertising, notoriety as a landmark, or simple eccentricity of the owner or architect. Many examples of novelty architecture take the form of buildings that...
buildings across the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. - A Cemetery SpecialA Cemetery SpecialA Cemetery Special is a 2005 PBS television documentary film by Rick Sebak of WQED. The documentary profiles cemeteries and cemetery-related businesses and events across the United States.The following cemeteries are covered in the film:...
(2005) - What Makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh (2006)
- Underground Pittsburgh (2007)
- To Market To Market To Buy A Fat Pig (2007)
- Invented, Engineered, and Pioneered in Pittsburgh (2008)
- A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway (2008)
- Right Beside the River (2009)
- Breakfast Special (July 2010)