If you grew up in Buffalo or Southern Ontario during the twentieth century then you probably experienced the magic of Crystal Beach Amusement Park before its sad closing back in September of 1989. Yes, thirty-five years ago!
Multimedia artist and filmmaker Peter McGennis was fortunate to have known the park intimately from spending his childhood summers up in Crystal Beach and having a best friend whose step dad once owned the park. McGennis shipped off to the college that summer of ’89 and Crystal Beach became a memory.
That was until he wrote a song about Crystal Beach called “Sunshine Dream” and shared it with his friend’s step dad when he became ill back in 2015. McGennis told him that he was going to make a feature film about Crystal Beach before he sadly passed away.
Having plucked heartstrings and a creative wellspring, more songs continued to pour out of McGennis. He created a studio project band called Pete and the Amusements and began recording these original Crystal Beach songs starting with “Sunshine Dream.” There were thirty-two songs when all was said and done! In 2017, McGennis wrote the first draft of “Laff in the Dark” stitching together the songs into a movie script storyline. He had taken a similar approach to previous movies like “Queen City” where the songs guided the visuals. What was different this time was that Pete and the Amusements had become a narrating vehicle appearing in the film. The script was playing out in his head and ears as a vinyl record. McGennis had unearthed the rock opera in his own self-coined “movie album” way.
Filming began soon after deploying a stop-start strategy to ease logistics and to make it possible to film at different vintage amusement parks akin to Crystal Beach. The list included Seabreeze (Rochester), Sylvan Beach (Syracuse), Waldameer (Erie) and nearby Fantasy Island. Some of these parks had acquired rides from Crystal Beach or had similar vintage that could pass for Crystal Beach. And then came the hunt for actual Crystal Beach relics which proved highly successful. So successful in fact that McGennis and his Western New York crew was able to recreate “Laff in the Dark” ride in a Cheektowaga warehouse using dolly track and the actual rickshaw cars from the ride. Friends and collectors alike were open to letting their keepsakes bring McGennis’ film to life. And then came the pandemic…
For two seasons, McGennis was pretty much at a standstill unable to finish principal photography. He hunkered down and edited the film to note exactly what we needed. When McGennis finally came up for air, his dear friend and lead actor Vincent O’Neill was diagnosed with lung cancer and needed time to recover. The project continued marinate until 2023 when they were finally able to complete filming all of the connective tissue content of the film in an antique store in Elma, NY. Postproduction began this year which included some additional shots, animation and sound mixing. The result is an original rock opera about a magical place that meant so much to McGennis and generations on both sides of the border!
So c’mon and end the summer on a high and join cast, crew and fellow Crystal Beach lovers on the sandy red carpet for the world premiere of Peter McGennis’ rock opera feature film “Laff in the Dark” opening at the iconic North Park Theatre on Friday, September 13th!
Summary:
An annual pitstop at an antique shop uncovers the charm of legendary amusement park Crystal Beach and its mysterious matriarch. Join multimedia artist Peter McGennis on the red carpet as his musical ensemble Pete and the Amusements unearth the rock opera on the big screen and on the midway. Thirty-five years since Crystal Beach closed its doors in September of 1989. Get ready for suckers, shenanigans and a flood of memories. Was it all real or just a laugh in the dark? Starring Josephine Hogan, Vincent O’Neill and Peter McGennis and Laughing Sal. Running Time: 1h36min. NR. Brief nudity.
How a Filmmaking Couple Made a Feature Film in Under a Year Without Crowdfunding and Released It Just in Time for Spooky Season
Buffalo, NY, independent filmmakers and married couple Dominic Luongo and Sara Manzella achieved something remarkable—they made their first feature film, Couple in the Woods, in less than a year, without any crowdfunding, and released it just in time for the Halloween season. Their story is a perfect example of what can happen when creativity, resourcefulness, and passion come together.
The journey started simply, with the entire movie being written out on notepads before converting it to script format. This old-school approach set the tone for a production that was hands-on from start to finish.
“We didn’t have the budget to rent a cabin for the shoot,” Sara explained. “So, we had to get creative. We thought about how so many great things started in a garage—Apple, Disney, The Ramones—so why not give it a shot?” And that’s exactly what they did. Using repurposed wood and some careful framing, they built the cabin set for their film right there in their garage. The entire movie was lit with just two lights and bounce boards made from insulation boards they removed from their garage walls.
They used handmade props, recycled items from their home, and even repurposed drywall and flooring from their house to create the cabin’s interior. “We built the cabin door ourselves, and the rug inside was cut out from our home office,” Dominic added. “We took up false wood flooring and hung it on the wall for the bathroom set, and everywhere else we used any leftover paint we had.”
Filming itself was another challenge. The entire movie was shot on a Canon 5D Mark III using just three stills lenses: 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Without access to high-end equipment, they had to rely on their skills and creativity. “We edited, colored, and handled all the post-production on a laptop using Final Cut Pro,” Dominic said. “Our TV became our monitor and Foley was recorded right in our living room.”
The woodland setting being an hour away from their garage brought its own set of challenges. With two different locations and breaks in filming, keeping everything consistent—making sure everything looked seamless on screen—was a real task. “We had a detailed shot list and took careful notes every day to make sure nothing got lost between scenes,” Dominic recalled. This attention to detail was crucial for creating the illusion that the cabin and the woods were in the same location.
The tight schedule was another obstacle. With day jobs to manage, they could only shoot for seven non-consecutive days. “Everyone had limited availability to work with, and there are other challenges along the way,” Sara explained. “We had a rain day to reschedule, which we prepared for since we were filming outside. However, between film days one of our actors went to a wedding and caught COVID, which threw an unexpected twist in the schedule.” Despite these challenges, they managed to shoot an average of ten pages a day in order to meet their goal.
Dominic and Sara wore many hats. They weren’t just producing, directing and acting—they also handled their own stunts, so did the rest of the cast, with a futon mattress serving as their crash pad. When they weren’t in front of the camera, they were behind it, running the camera themselves whenever other crew members weren’t available. “It was a bare-bones operation,” Dominic said. “We took turns behind the camera, and most of the shots were either on sticks or handheld” (including the tracking shot of The Occultist driving). “We did call in a favor from a friend with a drone to get some aerial shots,” Sara added. Their hands-on approach was essential in getting the film made.
Their families also played a significant role in making the film. “We roped our families in for help with catering, costumes, cameos, and music,” Sara mentioned.
Despite all the challenges, Couple in the Woods came together beautifully, proving that with enough passion and creativity, you can overcome almost any obstacle. With a runtime of 65 minutes, the film captures the essence of indie filmmaking—gritty, resourceful, and full of heart. Not only did Dominic and Sara achieve their goal of completing the film in under a year, but it’s now streaming on both Tubi and Amazon, just in time for the spooky season. Their story is a reminder to all aspiring filmmakers: no matter the odds, you can make your vision a reality.
Buffalo, New York – Filmmaker Gregory Lamberson (Sime City, Guns of Eden) has launched a new film festival, Amazing Fantasy Fest, in Buffalo, New York. AFF continues the mission of Lamberson’s previous film festivals, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, which ran for 10 years, and Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival, which ran for three. AFF is billed as “Buffalo’s festival of imaginative cinema.” Lamberson is celebrating his 40th year as an independent filmmaker, his 20th as a published author, and his 14th as a film festival director.
Showcasing independent Horror, Science Fiction, Action, Animation, and Experimental films from around the world, AFF runs for seven days this September at Dipson’s Amherst Theatre, Friday the 13th – Thursday the 19th. Lamberson has programmed 82 films, including 21 features and 61 shorts. One-third of the films were produced in Western New York, and all 21 features are World Premieres, Film Festival Premieres, New York Premieres, or Buffalo Premieres. Eighteen of those features will be followed by filmmaker Q&As.
Some highlights include:
Adrian Esposito(Holding Microphone)
Local Service Award Nickel City Tinseltown: The History of Buffalo, NY Filmmaking (World Premiere; Friday, Sept. 13th, 6pm) – A documentary about Western New York’s indie film scene, co-directed by Adrian Esposito and Curt Markham. Esposito’s political satire/action-comedy Special Needs Revolt will have its World Premiere Thursday, Sept. 19th at 6 pm; Markham, named this year’s Filmmaker of the Year, wrote and directed the comedy Ragdoll Assassin, which has its World Premiere 1pm Saturday, Sept. 14th.“Nickel City Tinseltown is the perfect film to launch this festival,” says Lamberson, who is a member of the Producers Guild of America and teaches Screenwriting at University at Buffalo. “Its title is misleading because this documentary doesn’t cover the big mainstream films that have been filmed in Western New York; it covers the microbudget indie films which are the bedrock of our film community culture. The film industry experiences highs and lows, but the indies continue creating their art regardless. This is a film about the local filmmakers whose work we screen; it’s a film about us.”
Slasher Days of Summer
Slasher Days of Summer (World Premiere; Friday, Sept. 13th, 9:20pm) What better way to celebrate Friday the 13th than with a locally produced slasher comedy? Kristen Skeet directed a local cast in this backwoods extravaganza which she co-wrote with co-producer Tyler Cheman. Filmed in primarily Akron, Lancaster and Darien.
Rich Interior Lives – Director/Screenwriter Ken Whiting
Rich Interior Lives (World Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 3:20 pm). A unique psychodrama about a dinner party at which one guest just may be a superhero. Director Ken Whiting and screenwriter (and former Depew, NY resident) Andrew Bonazelli will be in attendance.
They Call Her Death
They Call Her Death (Film Festival Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 6pm) A violent and crowd-pleasing Euro-style western shot on 16m film, written and directed by Austin Snell, who will attend with co-producer Adam Jeffers. Preceded by the Word Premiere of local filmmaker Paul McGinnis’s short, Forward. Lamberson describes They Call Her Death as “probably the big crowd pleaser of the festival.”
Black Eyed Susan
Black Eyed Susan (New York Premiere, Saturday, Sept. 14th, 9pm). Cult filmmaker Scooter McCrae (Shatter Dead, Sixteen Tongues) makes his Buffalo debut with this disturbing science fiction thriller about a sex robot. Preceded by the World Premiere of Jane & the Brain, a short film by local filmmaker Hope Muehlbauer.
Inbetweening
Inbetweening (World Premiere, Monday, Sept. 16th, 8pm) – A dark comedic fantasy by returning filmmaker Mel House (Mystery Spot), about the travails of a bi-racial filmmaker, augmented by puppets, animation, a musical number, and Angelo Moore from Fishbone, playing himself.
The Damnation (World Premiere, Thursday, Sept. 19th, 9pm) – A Canadian horror film about members of an Indigenous community battling vampire-like creatures. Writer, producer and co-director Chris Darton will be on hand with members of the cast.
An awards presentation free to the public will be held at the theater on Sunday, Sept. 15th at 5:45 pm. Special Recognition Awards include:
Dedication to Cinematic Excellence – Scooter McCrae, New York City
Filmmaker of the Year – Curt Markham, Rochester
Lois Weber Award – Kristina Nomeika, Rochester
William R. Thompson Film Champion Award – Anna Chinappi & Skip Shea
Local Hero – Bob Bozek, Buffalo
MVP – Chris Cosgrave, Buffalo
Local Service Award– Robert Borgatti, Niagara Falls
Robert Borgatti, Local Service Award
AFF screens four blocks of films every day. Short film blocks include Local, US and Canada, International, and Animation.
A Full Fantasy Pass costs $75 ($60 for students and seniors with ID) and includes two exclusive “Secret Cinema” screenings at the Screening Room at 1:30 pm on Saturday, Sept. 28th and Sunday, Sept. 29th. Attendees of these “Secret Cinema” screenings will not know what they’re seeing until the films begin.
A Weekend Pass (Fri – Sun) and Weekdays Pass (Mon – Thurs) are available for $60 ($50 for students and seniors with ID), and individual Day Passes are $25 for Fri, Sat or Sun and $20 for Mon, Tues, Wed or Thurs. Individual screening tickets will be available through the Dipson Theatres website for $15.00 beginning September 1st. The full schedule is available at www.amazingfantasyfest.com.
Buffalo, NY – [June 3rd, 2024] – Casting Buffalo, the leading film and commercial casting company
in Western New York established by Kyle Mecca, Harry Lipsitz, & Peter Johnson is thrilled to
announce the annual “Casting Buffalo Actors Expo” returns on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, from
noon to 7pm at The Atrium at Rich’s, located at 1 Robert Rich Way, Buffalo, NY 14213.
The Casting Buffalo Actors Expo is a one-stop-shop for local actors and aspiring talent of all
ages, offering pertinent career information and essential skills needed to land roles in film, theater,
and commercial productions occurring in Western New York and beyond. Attendees will have the
opportunities to network, receive new headshots from Film Neighbor Network with Boring
Buffalo photographers, meet local casting directors, speak with professional acting and vocal
coaches, attend a live stunt showcase from Robbins Stunt Team, audition for the
upcoming Buffalo 48 Hour Film Project, and attend business-of-acting seminars and acting
workshops, all while learning about the local film/TV/commercial industry.
With dozens of local vendors and exhibitors from various departments within the entertainment
industry, attendees can interact with union crew members from I.A.T.S.E., reel editors, production
house Buffalo Camera at Expressway Cinema Rentals, brand managers, spokespersons from
area colleges and universities with theater and film programs, talent agencies, and SAG/AFTRA
& Actors’ Equity representatives.
The event also features multiple panel discussions and an exclusive Q&A featuring Buffalo theater & film legend, Stephen McKinley Henderson of Civil War (2024), Dune (2021), Lady Bird (2017), and Fences (2016) and guest speaker Daniel Croix of Tyler Perry’s The Oval, Love Simon, and Manhunt. In addition, the 2024 actors expo will be hosted by ALC Acting Studio owner & Hollywood actor Andrew Lewis Caldwell of How I Met Your Mother, iZombie, Henry Danger, Haunt (2019), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).
Tickets for the Casting Buffalo Actors Expo are on sale now at www.castingbuffalo.com via Eventbrite. General admission tickets are priced at $40.00, while student tickets are available at a discounted rate of $25.00, with a valid student I.D.
About Casting Buffalo
Casting Buffalo, LLC was established by Kyle Mecca, Harry Lipsitz, & Peter Johnson to be a cornerstone for film and commercial casting in Western New York, as well as expanding state-wide. With an eye for talent and the unique ability to build lasting relationships, from
commercials to feature films, they have had the chance to work on some of the most prestigious movies shot in the Queen City including MARSHALL, THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF WOLFBOY, THE FIRST PURGE, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT TO KIN, A MAN, CALLED OTTO, CUTMAN, along with the upcoming THE PANIC, and numerous commercials and additional projects.
Director/Producer Michael Mailer discuses his experience in WNY with directing “The Cutman” and returning to produce “The Panic” which just wrapped in June.
1907 Period Feature “The Panic” is shooting now in the Buffalo Niagara Region. Written and Directed by Dan Adams, “The Panic” tells the little known story behind the 1907 Stock Market crash and what was done to save the U.S.economy. The cast includes Cary Elwes(Charles Barney), Malcom McDowell(Stanford White), Colm Meeney(JP Morgan), Christiana Dell’Anna(who starred in Cabrini) and more. Michael Mailer has returned to Buffalo produce “The Panic” after directing his own feature “The Cutman” this past March. Locations so far have included The 20th Century Club, The Butler Mansion, The Ellicott Square Building, Fort Niagara, and the M&T Bank – Main and Huron Branch.
M&T Bank Exterior as NYC Knickerbocker Trust Company
Interior of M&T Bank as the Knickerbocker Trust Company
