Sep 25, 2023
TFA Visiting Artist Series presents
ON CASTING: FINDING THE RIGHT ACTORS
Panel discussion with Emmy award winning writer/producer and Buffalo State alumni, Tom Fontana and TV Network casting executive, Rosalie Joseph Moderated by TFA associate professor, Jeffrey Hirschberg this Thursday, September 28th, 3pm, Ciminelli Recital Hall in Rockwell Hall at Buffalo State University
Sponsored by the Television and Film Arts program and the Theater Department
Emmy award winning writer/producer and Buffalo State alumni, Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana has written and produced such groundbreaking television series as St. Elsewhere, Homicide: Life On The Street, Oz, City On A Hill, and Netflix’s Borgia. Fontana wrote the HBO film Strip Search, directed by Sidney Lumet, as well as contributed two pieces to the September 11th special America: A Tribute to Heroes. His new series, Monsieur Spade will premiere on AMC/Canal+ in 2024. He has received, among others, three Emmy Awards, four Peabody Awards, three Writers’ Guild Awards, four Television Critics Association Awards, the Cable Ace Award, the Humanitas Prize, a Special Edgar and the first prize at Geneva’s Cinema Tout Ecran Festival.
He was executive producer of American Tragedy for CBS, The Killing Fields for Discovery, Shot in the Heart, Paterno, You Don’t Know Jack, and Wizard of Lies for HBO. He also produced the documentary The Press Secretary for PBS and the independent films, Jean, In Good Conscience and Anytown USA. Fontana has written articles for such periodicals as The New York Times, TV Guide and Esquire and has taught at Columbia, Syracuse, Rutgers and the State University College at Buffalo, his alma mater, from which he received the Distinguished Alumni Award and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.
He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Producers Guild of America, the Friars Club, the Players Club, the Writers Guild of America, East, from which he received the Evelyn F. Burkey Award, the Richard B. Jablow Award and the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Lifetime Achievement. Fontana co-founded the charitable organization Stockings with Care and serves on the boards of the American Theatre Wing, the Paley Center for Media’s International Council, The Writers Guild Initiative and the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Fontana has had numerous plays produced in New York, where he lives, as well as at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the
Park, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the McCarter Theatre Company, the Berkshire Playwrights Lab and here in Buffalo, at the Studio Arena Theatre.
TV Network casting executive, Rosalie Joseph
Rosalie Joseph spent much of her over 4-decade Casting Career as a TV Network Casting executive. She served as Vice President of Casting for ABC and Senior Casting Executive at CBS. In between her time at the networks, she was an independent Casting Director and cast pilots and series as well as theater and film. Rosalie served on the Casting Society of America’s Board for 2 decades and presently serves on the Board of Casting Society Cares. In 2019, the Casting Society of America created the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award to honor her philanthropic work both inside and outside the entertainment industry. The first award, presented to Rosalie at the CSA Artios Awards, will be presented annually to a Casting Director or Associate who actively works in philanthropic and humanitarian causes.
Buffalo State University is located at 1300 Elmwood Avenue, NY 14222.
Aug 22, 2023
The Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival now till Thursday at The Dipson Amherst Theatre located at 3500 Main Street in Buffalo.
Seven days of animation, comedy, drama, fantasy, horror and science fiction. Our TENTH year of bringing the best independent films from around the word to Western New York, and shining a spotlight on local artists. Consistently raked one of the 100 top film festivals on FilmFreeway.
BLOCK 15
2:00 International Shorts #1 (76 mins)
Six amazing international short films.
Playtime of the Dead (UK, 5 mins)
Girl in the Dark (Ukraine, 5 mins)
Lethe (China, 22 mins)
Giti Jan (Iran, 10 mins)
Terminally On (China, 34 mins)
BLOCK 16
3:45 International Shorts #2 (85 mins)
Our second block of some of the best international short films.
Emily’s Mountain (Israel, 22 mins)
The Black Box (Taiwan, 30 mins)
The Ankou, the Child, and the Bandits (France, 33 mins)
BLOCK 17
6:30 WNY Shorts 3 (70 mins)
Seven short films by local artists who will do Q&As.
Rusalka (4 mins)
Our Last Ride (2 mins)
Cruzando (6 mins)
Launchpad (6 mins)
To Know a Veil (10 mins)
WORLD PREMIERE: The Sicks (20 mins)
World Premiere: Haunted (22 mins)
BLOCK 18
8:45 Break Glass (Comedy-Drama, NYS, 1 hr 51 mins)
Offbeat comedy-drama about two brothers and one woman who take a road trip across New York State to repair mistakes of the past.
BLOCK 19
3:30 US & Canadian Shorts (89 mins)
Five incredible shorts from the US and the Great White North.
All the Young Dudes (US, 9 mins)
Greed & Gore (Canada, 15 mins)
The 44th Chamber of Shaolin (NYC, 15 mins)
Vegas is Calling (US, 22 mins)
Some Visitors (US, 28 mins)
BLOCK 20
6:30 WNY Shorts 4 (56 mins)
Six short films produced in WNY, with Q&As.
Give the Gate (7 mins)
Simulacrum (8 mins)
The Conduit (9 mins)
Time Stood Still (8 mins)
Nothing Personal (P.O.C.) (11 mins)
Love’s a Drug (12 mins)
BLOCK 21
8:30 Demon Behind the Glass (Horror, WNY, 84 mins)
A corpse discovered by a journalist in his rental home is reanimated by demons.
Short: Demons in the Closet (claymation, 1 min)
Thursday, August 24th
BLOCK 22
3:30 The Haunting of the Lady-Jane (Horror, UK, 98 mins)
A man’s obsession with ghosts upends a boat tour of the British canals taken by two women. Suspense served with a terrifying conclusion!
BLOCK 23
6:30 The Beautiful Mess (WNY, 5 mins)
WNY Short Features: Willowvale Harbor (WNY, Horror, 55 mins)
A conspiracy theorist discovers an abandoned town believed to exist only in urban legends.
The Rise of Marco Alfonsi (WNY, Crime Drama, 46 mins) A young man’s climb to power.
BLOCK 24
9:20 Fang (Horror, US, 98 min)
The legendary Lynn Lowry co-stars in this story of a troubled young man who undergoes terrifying changes after being bitten by a rat.
In memory of William S. Brown, one of us, 1943 – 2022
Aug 11, 2023
Cindy Letro
Buffalo, New York – Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, celebrating its tenth season, will honor Cindy Abbott Letro with its Local Service Award in recognition of her significant contributions to the Buffalo-Niagara film industry. Buffalo Dreams runs for seven days, from Friday, August 18th – Thursday, August 24th at Dipson’s Amherst Theatre, 3500 Main Street in Buffalo. Eighty-one films will screen, including 16 features and 66 shorts, a record 30 produced in Western New York.
Cindy Abbott Letro is a community volunteer with an impressive history of supporting arts and culture in Western New York and has played a key role in growing the Buffalo-Niagara film industry. She serves as the chair of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission, a position she has held for almost twenty years, and hosts Behind the Camera, an online program which spotlights filmmakers and other figures committed to developing and promoting the Buffalo-Niagara film industry.
Ms. Letro will receive her award at Buffalo Dreams’ in-person Dreamer Awards presentation in the Amherst Theatre at 5 pm on Sunday, August 20th. Former recipients include Buffalo Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark, Buffalo Film Office Director of Operations Rich Wall, City of Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, former NYS Fim Commissioner (and current NYC Film Commissioner) Pat Kaufman, Off Beat Cinema co-producer and WBBZ TV station manager John Di Sciullo, and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
Cindy Abbott Letro
Cindy Abbott Letro is the current chair of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission, a position she has held for nearly twenty years. During that time, she has helped gain government support from state, county and city sources for the areas developing film industry.
She is the current chair of the region’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Visit Buffalo Niagara, and the Chair of the Western District of New York State Parks. She is a past chair of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Board and the Burchfield Penney Art Center. She is consistently listed in Business First’s top 200 Women of Influence and was listed in its top ten Women of Influence in 2022.
Ms. Letro is Business Manager of her husband’s law firm, Francis M. Letro Attorneys at Law and makes her home in the City of Buffalo.
She has a B.A. in English Literature from The College of Wooster, and a M.S.in Communications from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School.
Buffalo Dreams on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloDreamsFilmFestival
Website: http://www.buffalodreamsfantasticfilmfestival.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuffaloDreams
Aug 8, 2023
Actor/Director Jon Abrahams appearing at “Actor’s Expo”.
Actor/Director Jon Abrahams will give a special seminar discussion at the “Casting Buffalo Actors Expo” Saturday, August 26th. Abrahams is known for his roles in “Scary Movie” and “Meet The Parents”, as well as director/actor roles in two films shot in Buffalo “Clover” and “All at Once”.
Casting Buffalo Founders/Partners(L-R) Peter Johnson, Kyle Mecca, and Harry Lipsitz
“Casting Buffalo Actors Expo” is a one-stop-shop for local actors and aspiring talent of all ages! This inaugural, one-day event was created to help talent gain pertinent career information, most importantly, how to gain the skills needed to land roles in film, theater, and commercial productions happening in Western New York and beyond. Attendees will have the opportunity to network, get new headshots, meet with hair and makeup artists, speak with talent agencies, get the low down on the WNY TV/film industry and shop vendors and exhibitors from across New York State.
Over 20 local vendors and exhibitors from various departments within the entertainment industry will be in attendance including: – Casting directors from across the state – Various union representatives in the film/stage/commercial industry – Professional acting and vocal coaches – Stunt team demonstrations – Spokespersons from area colleges and universities with theatre and film programs – Local film production vendors
WHEN: Saturday, August 26, 2023
**2 Sessions: Noon – 3p.m. and 4p.m. – 7p.m.
WHERE: The Atrium at Rich’s 1 Robert Rich Way Buffalo, NY 14213
TICKETS: On sale NOW at www.castingbuffalo.com via Eventbright – $35 **Students – $25 with valid Student I.D.
Jul 31, 2023
Cindy Abbott Letro interviews Academy Award winning producer Jonathan Sanger about Buffalo and Niagara Falls Period Locations.
Jul 31, 2023
Greg Robbins – New Armorer representing The Specialist LTD
Veteran Western New York SAG Actor, Stunt Person, Producer, Director Greg Robbins has become a certified armorer and regional rep for the The Specialist LTD.
About The Specialist LTD from their website –
“The Specialists LTD was founded in 1981, in New York, NY, to support filmmakers, artists and NYC’s creative community. Over the last four decades, our company has continued to grow and evolve, adding talented artists and craftsmen to our team, and introducing new technologies and processes to the industry. Today, we are the East Coast’s leading supplier of fabrication, graphics and props, providing services for film & television, live theater & events, advertising & experiential marketing, art & architecture, and more.
The foundation of our company is our collective experience and knowledge gained from decades in the industry, and our enthusiasm for experimentation and problem solving. We offer state-of-the-art 3D printing, microcontroller programming, and CNC machining alongside old-world crafts like mold-making, sculpting and blacksmithing. Our team of fabricators has a wide range of expertise, with backgrounds in engineering, graphic design, art, filmmaking and programming. With our 60,000 square foot facility in Queens, we have the space and resources to work with a wide range of materials, processes and machines.”
About Greg Robbins from IMDB –
Greg Robbins is an American stunt performer, actor, writer and director. Originally stepped in front of the camera in 1984 playing a redneck thug in a made for TV movie, The Grand Baby (1985) (TV)_. Born in Glendale, California, Greg lived the first 13 years of his life in North Hollywood. He believed he would act for a living at a very young age. His grandfather gave him an 8mm camera when he was 9 years old and he began making home movies with his younger brothers. The summer before eighth grade he went to see the motocross movie On Any Sunday (1971) starring Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. Back then theaters had double features, and the movie playing first was Sometimes a Great Notion (1971), also starring Paul Newman. There is a scene in that film when Newman’s brother, played by Richard Jaeckel, is trapped under a log and drowns. Two things happened that day to Robbins, he acquired a fear of drowning and realized that he wanted to be an actor/stuntman and tell stories. Greg Robbins started his life in a body cast when, at four weeks of age, he was in a car accident with his parents. His legs were broken, and his doctors thought he would never be able to run and he could even possibly have a limp. It was not to be, however, and Greg became a very good athlete. His grandmother said during that time that this boy would do great things with his life. His storytelling ability surfaced in 1971 when his uncle was killed in Vietnam. The story of how he died made Greg decide to write the story down. This ended up being the first movie he ever wrote at age 11, called “John Henry”. Even though the film is not produced yet, it still remains his favorite story. Not long after that, Greg’s mother divorced his father, ending a very volatile life for Greg, his mother and his two younger brothers. Sometime after that Greg’s mother re-married, and Greg’s new stepfather was a good man and treated him well. Greg and his family moved to Granada Hills, California, when he was 13 and he stayed there until his late 20’s. He bounced around Hollywood, attending the LA Actors Theater, going to stunt school and Van-Mar Acting Academy. He held a string of stunts, modeling and acting jobs. Then after the SAG and WGA strikes in the mid-’80s, his grandfather talked him into going to “dealer college” in Las Vegas. Every time he had an audition or landed a role in a play or a modeling job he would leave Vegas and then return after the gig. This went on until he met his wife in 1991, when he settled down and started raising a family. In 1996 the idea for a sitcom came to him sitting in church; after writing it and developing the series, he was sure Hollywood would not like it, so he shelved it and went on to do the wildlife series Animal Action (2001). Through this time he kept developing his Christian sitcom and eventually produced 3 seasons of it. Robbins has a passion for telling stories that build up society. Robbins’ is also a competing 2nd Degree Black Belt or I-Dan in Tae Kwon-Do; he along with his wife and kids train together. The Tae Kwon-Do creed is a beautiful and uplifting way to live life that Robbins is gravitated to. In 2017 he along with his daughter Shauna and son Gregory formed Robbins Stunt Team; they provide stunt performers in western New York. Today he lives a wonderful life with his wife and their 2 children actors/stunt performers Shauna Robbins and Gregory P. Robbins. Greg is still trying to provide good stories that enhance lives as well as entertains.
After receiving extensive training at The Specialist NYC HQ, Robbins passed their extensive screening with flying colors and is ready to serve the WNY production community.
