Written by
Michael Wooten
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The movie "Henry's Crime" is based in Buffalo, much of it was shot in Western New York, and Thursday night, the film had its Queen City premiere.
The producer was in town for the advanced screening at the Market Arcade Film and Arts Centre, where VIPs, including locals who were extras and crew members, watched the film for the first time.
"I've shot in many towns all over the world actually, and this place is so friendly," Producer Lemore Syvan said. "People understand what we're trying to do, and they're trying to be very helpful."
During the premiere, much of the focus turned to how to bring more of Hollywood to Buffalo.
"We're trying to position Buffalo as a town where people will come and do their filming," County Executive Chris Collins said.
Collins and Mayor Byron Brown are now working with the state film commission and executives in Hollywood to build up the movie-making industry in Western New York.
"We think that it does have some real potential for creating jobs in Buffalo," Brown said.
Local leaders attended a major meeting before the premiere to discuss building up the movie infrastructure with permanent crews and more resources for filmmakers.
"(We want to) figure out how can we make this more of a destination, so this isn't that unusual, but in fact, it's an everyday event that we're having filming done here," Collins said.
New York State Film Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufmansaid Buffalo is perhaps the most film-friendly city in the state, even beating out New York City. But she said Western New York lacks some of the resources needed to attract large projects for long-term filming. That becomes the challenge moving forward, she said.
"We're really working together with your county exec and your mayor and the local crew to build the infrastructure and to build the crew base," Swinney Kaufman said. "And having successful shoots like this film 'Henry's Crime' is a step in the right direction."
"Henry's Crime" will open to the Western New York public April 29 with a showing at the Amherst Theatre on Main Street in Buffalo. It's expected other theaters will have showings next month.