Every morning, I get online and check my favorite local Pittsburgh websites for my local news, the Carnegie Library to see where I am in the queue for my requested books and movies, and of course “Something to Be Desired” to check if anything new has been posted. After that, I usually…wait, what was that? You’re not familiar with “Something To Be Desired”? Allow me to give you the grand tour.
STBD as it's know to its fans (a growing legion currently around 3,000 strong from across the globe), is an ongoing web-based series, sort of like a TV show that can only be seen on the Internet or on your handy-dandy video iPod. It’s set primarily at the 
fictitious independent radio station WANT and concerns the lives and loves of a group of mostly twentysomethings trying to figure out just what it is they want. ("What do you WANT?") It’s part sitcom, part soap opera, occasionally a little raw, frequently hilarious, and completely addictive.
The show has made fans as far away as Australia where best-selling author Max Barry (Company, Jennifer Government) praised it on his blog as having “bucket-loads of talent”. STBD was just the focus of a feature in the New York-based actors’ magazine Backstage. And cult legend Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Films, recently took time out from his book tour to appear in a promo for the upcoming season.
With the booming popularity of sites like YouTube and the preponderance of podcasts on iTunes, original entertainment created specifically for the Internet seems to be a growing trend, but STBD actually helped lead the charge, having launched in 2003, and it’s the only web series shot and set in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is, in fact, as much a character as outrageous deejay Rob Sharp or aspiring rock journalist Leo Straub. (And I should mention here that now I also play a character, having landed a role while working on this story.) The music of local bands like The Rockstar Collective and Kingsfoil has been prominently featured; locally-made handbags have popped up; the Pittsburgh skyline is seen frequently; scenes have been shot during a concert at The Rex and an Art Gallery Crawl; and episodes have highlighted numerous local businesses (and occasionally even their owners) including Kiva Han, Oztier Magic, Hot Metal Grille and Eljay’s Used Books, to name just a few. This year, Affoggatto, The Mattress Factory, and more have been added to the list.
STBD is the brainchild of Justin Kownacki, a 29 year-old Erie native currently living in Squirrel Hill. After receiving his degree in Computer Animation from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, he landed a job with a local multimedia company that specialized in industrial safety training. Spending his days editing accident recreations and fire safety procedures led him to create STBD as a creative outlet.
WQED, which allowed him free access to shoot in their studios, was used as a stand-in for WANT, and he borrowed most of the equipment he needed from his day job. After 
finding his cast (some aspiring actors, some just friends who thought it’d be cool), he set about writing and shooting his first season of five 10-15 minute episodes.
The first season focuses primarily on Jack Boyd (Dan Stripp), an idealistic ex-WANT deejay who had moved to Chicago for a menial job at a corporate radio station. He returns to Pittsburgh for his sister’s graduation and begins questioning the direction of his life while hanging out with his old high school friends, some of whom have changed, some of whom have actually regressed.
In a memorable speech in the first season finale, Jack wanders into the WANT studio and pontificates on air about what to do after college when you’re left without a syllabus and you discover that the real life you always thought you wanted leaves a little “something to be desired”. Of course, these serious observations come wrapped in hilarious rants (“You know what I hate? Fat kids.”), romantic escapades (sex in a radio 
station, why not?), and questionable advice to callers from WANT’s answer to Howard Stern, Dean Dockerty (Shaun Cameron Hall).
These days, Kownacki has moved on to owning all of his own equipment. He has left his corporate video editing job and now works solely on a freelance basis, and he continues to write, direct and produce every STBD episode on his own, a process that, last season, sometimes took up to 40 hours a week. Unfortunately, the show has yet to turn a profit and in fact costs Kownacki upwards of $500 a month to produce.
Consequently, he has to rely on actors working for free and businesses donating their space for locations. The hope this season is to attract advertisers to the website and begin sales of STBD merchandise (shirts now available!). Kownacki also continues to apply for grants and look for sponsorship while avoiding “selling out”, a major theme of the show, but has so far come up empty.
Season 4 kicked off in early September, and all upcoming and previous episodes are available via iTunes, the STBD rss feed, or directly from the “Something to Be Desired” website. Frequent updates also appear on the STBD official blog, including behind-the-scenes stories, calls for extras, and Kownacki’s entertaining ramblings.
Naturally, Justin Kownacki is constantly looking forward. “Something To Be Desired” is only his initial stab at creating independent web content. He has dozens of ideas to showcase the beauty, talent and possibilities of Pittsburgh to, literally, the world. His first step, though, is making sure STBD takes on a life of its own, and for that to happen, all you have to do is watch.
Required viewing (all have at least a little “salty language”):
Season 1, Episode 1: “Jack’s Back”
Season 1, Episode 5: “Loose Ends”
Season 3 Trailer summarizing Seasons 1 and 2
Season 4 Trailer
Erik Schark is an actor who lives in Highland Park with his wife Gwen and their dog Dusty.
Photos:
Hans Rosemond, Clare Fogerty, Will Guffey, Jennifer Koegler, Erick Schark, Ann Turino
Justin Kownacki filming at Vivo
Will Guffey and Ann Turiano (from show)
Justin Kownacki and Hans Rosemond
Lacey Fleming and Ryan Ben (from show)
Justin Kownacki and Sam DiBattista, owner of Vivo, discussing a shot
All photographs copyright © Jonathan Greene
except group photo © Hans Rosemond
and images from show courtesy of Justin Kownacki