Oct 21, 2014
(October 21, 2014) See the premiere of “Within” as it make it’s world premiere on Halloween night at the North Park Theatre, 1428 Hertel Ave in Buffalo, NY.
From Director Ken Consentino-
“Within” follows the story of five strangers who have been brought together by unforeseen circumstances during the outbreak of a highly contagious virus that brings the dead back to life. While attempting to cope and survive in a farm house, the group begins to learn about each other’s pasts. It’s not long before zombies are knocking on the door, hoping to get in so that they can devour human flesh!
This film is unrated, has some harsh language and lots of blood and gore. There is also loads of comedy and tongue in cheek references to classic films.“We did our best to make this a film that can be enjoyed by anyone, but our main audience is the zombie loving demographic,” says director Ken Cosentino, “there is a scene that’s a shot for shot remake of the eye gouge from Fulci’s ‘Zombie’, and a lot of other fun stuff.” The film starts Tyler Austin as Albert, Cynthia LaForest Gerber, Joseph Giambra, Madison Ranne, and nine year old Noah Wisniewski, all of whom are local to Western New York.
“The main character, Albert, is gay, and Tyler Austin is gay in real life, so this film really appeals to the LGBT crowd as well. It’s the first zombie film I’ve ever seen with a gay protagonist” says Cosentino, whose company Little Sicily Productions recently produced the comic book film “Crimson”, which is available in major retail stores in North America. “Crimson” was shot almost entirely in Niagara Falls.
Doors open at 9:30 pm and the movie starts at 10 pm. The film is 90 minutes long and will be followed by a Q & A with the cast and crew.
Tickets are $12 presale or $15 at the door, (unless you dress “head to toe” in costume, then they are $12). Guests are encouraged to come celebrate in costume. An after party will be held at 12:30 am at Fat Bob’s Smokehouse in Buffalo. There will be prizes for the best costumes and anyone who purchased a movie ticket will have the opportunity to party with the cast and crew.
Jul 24, 2014
(July 24th, 2014) Lockport Native, Saint Joe’s HS and UB Film Grad Scott Cummings has been named to Filmmaker Magazines 25 New Faces of Independent Film for 2014. Cummings is currently hitting the festival circuit with his latest short film Buffalo Juggalo’s which he shot in Buffalo, Lockport, and Niagara Falls in 2013.
Scott Cummings (center) on the set with cast (left) and crew (right) in Niagara Falls for Buffalo Juggalo’s.
Scott Cummings’ half-hour Buffalo Juggalos is straightforward about its title setting and subject and twisty about everything else. A series of minute-long shots executed with James Benning’s mathematical framing and juxtapositioned precision and Ulrich Seidl’s unnervingly unbroken gaze, it’s a rigorously staged series of tableaus of one of America’s most-feared subcultures making a depressed urban space their own.
Cummings studied experimental film at the State University of New York-Buffalo before realizing he wanted to gain tools for a narrative skill set and applying to the California Institute of the Arts. His 2006 short The Hesher, succinctly described by Cummings as “a guy abusing himself,” played at the Museum of Modern Art and other gallery spaces. “I made more normal narrative stuff, but I never liked it as much,” Cummings explains. “I was the only person in it, and I shot it by setting up a tripod.” – Filmmaker Magazine
Look for a Western New York screening of Buffalo Juggalo’s this year.
Buffalo Juggalos Official Website
Aug 26, 2013
(August 26th, 2013) Great news from producer Greg Lamberson….
Principal photography has wrapped on The Legend of Six Fingers, the second feature from writer-director Sam Qualiana, in Royalton, New York. Qualiana, who stars in the film with local actor Andrew Elias, previously helmed Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast. Debbie Rochon and Lynn Lowry co-star in the found footage monster film, which was produced by Greg Lamberson (Slime City Massacre, Dry Bones) and executive produced by Michael Raso of Camp Motion Pictures.
Qualiana and Elias portray two amateur filmmakers documenting a string of animal slaughters in rural Royalton. They interview a farm couple (Lowry and newcomer Bill Brown) who tell them the Native American legend of “Ya Yahk Osnuhsa,” an apelike creature with three fingers on each hand. Generations ago, “Six Fingers” stalked settlers who invaded his land, until one settler agreed to keep people off the creature’s territory and to make animal offerings. The filmmakers set out to prove that Six Fingers exists and is responsible for the animal slayings, with terrifying results.
“We wrapped principle photography in just thirteen days,” says Qualiana, who shot the film in character. “I give credit to my cast and small crew for being on the ball each shoot 
day. I’ve been editing the film during down time, and I’m proud of what we have. People will laugh when they see the finished film, they’re going to sympathize with these characters and still get that taste of horror and gore. The monster is going to blow you away. We worked really hard to make this something fun.”
“This was a real smooth shoot,” adds Lamberson. “We came in on budget and ahead of schedule. We put together a solid cast and crew, and in the last year most of us have had a hand in Model Hunger, Return to Nuke ‘Em High, Battledogs, Dry Bones and now The Legend of Six Fingers. We’re trying to make Buffalo-Niagara the indie horror capital of the country, with smart movies made by hardworking, talented people.”
The Legend of Six Fingers will have its world premiere in Buffalo on September 26th, at the Market Arcade Film and Arts Center, and a distribution deal will be announced soon.
Follow The Legend of Six Fingers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SixFingersMovie
Aug 8, 2013
(August 8th, 2013) DefTone Pictures Studios Inc’s A Grim Becoming started principal photography this past June and continues this weeked. The film stars Buffalo, New York’s Brandon Williams, Michael Sciabarrasi, Patrick Mallette, Christopher Brechtel, Mike Sarcinelli and Aryn Fitzgerald as well as actors Britt Griffith, Devanny Pinn, Bill Oberst Jr., Jessica Cameron, Melantha Blackthorne, Lynn Lowry, Valerie Lynn Hanna and Melyssa Jade.
A Grim Becoming has a slated release date of June 21, 2014 and is Directed by Adam R Steigert and written for screen by Janeen Avery, Christopher Brechtel, Mark Mendola and Adam R Steigert.
A Grim Becoming follows Raphael, a young, bitter executive who is on the verge of losing a multimillion dollar architectural deal with a large company lead by the awkward Stanford brothers. A sudden death in his family has Raphael leaving to go to his home town of Metzburgh to attend the funeral. Seeing this as his big chance to get ahead is Wayne, a jealous 
co-worker, who is in competition with Raphael. As Raphael returns to Metzburgh, he experiences a life changing event: witnessing a Grim Reaper taking a soul. This sighting results in Raphael becoming a Reaper and having to explore his own conscience and the lengths he will go to get his life back. But Death has other plans for the naive young executive.
Check out www.agrimbecomingmovie.com where you can sign up to be an extra in the film.
Be sure to check out the teaser trailer which features Death.
Apr 2, 2013
(Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013) Don’t miss Battledogs starring Dennis Haysbert, Craig Sheffer, Wes Studi, Ernie Hudson and more, airing throughout the month of April on the SyFy Network.
Shot primarily in Buffalo during September of 2012 featuring many local crew and extras, Battledogs is a Sci-Fi action film that shows what happens when a virus turns residents of Manhattan into werewolves and how a rogue army general tries to harness this virus as a weapon. Many familiar Buffalo landmarks double as New York City in this feature film.
Battledogs is yet another participant in Empire State Film Production Tax Credit Program.
Mar 26, 2013
(Tuesday, March, 26th, 2013)New York State Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) announced today that after weeks of negotiating, the final enacted state budget will include a provision to boost the film production industry in upstate New York.
Currently, New York State provides a tax incentive for up to 30 percent of certain production costs, but Gallivan has long argued that upstate and its unique cities need something more to attract significant studio interest. “It’s all about costs, and one of the most prohibitive costs for film productions is labor. In New York State, most of the high-skilled labor associated with film production in based in New York City. The further away from New York City a production takes place, the more expensive it is to film. A universally applied tax credit doesn’t necessarily do much for Upstate,” Gallivan said. “This reform will really level the playing field so Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and other upstate communities can attract bigger productions and the inherent jobs and economic benefit that come with them.”
The new tax credit creates a two-tiered system so that an additional 10 percent credit can be applied to the amount of wages or salaries paid to most individuals directly employed by a film production in the specified geographic area. This brings the total available credit in upstate counties to 40 percent without altering the total cost of the program for taxpayers.
“This is a very useful tool that will help upstate film commissions attract more production spending. It’s a direct response to people asking “why does more than $20 million dollars in production spending drive across state lines every year?” and “why did Draft Day choose Cleveland instead of Buffalo?,” said Nora Brown, Executive Director of the Rochester and Finger Lakes Film and Video Office.
“Upstate and Western New York miss out on some film opportunities because the current incentive structure doesn’t allow us to compete with neighboring states,” said Tim Clark, Commissioner of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission. “This new tiered film tax credit program rectifies this inequity and will really put our region on the map when studios are evaluating shoot locations.”
For the purposes of this legislation, upstate counties have been identified as the following: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, or Yates.A final state budget is expected to be passed before the end of the week. The new film production tax credit is modeled after legislation (S.498) authored by Senator Gallivan.
Senator Patrick M. Gallivan represents all or parts of Erie, Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe Counties in the New York State Senate.
