Buffalo State’s New Diversity Initiative Aims to ‘Level the Playing Field’ As Film Industry Booms in WNY

While Buffalo has long been a prime location for feature films, the past few years have seen a significant rise in Western New York's involvement in the film industry. Not only does the region offer a variety of attractive scenery and historic architecture, but New York's latest tax incentive for filmmakers makes the state a financially appealing place to shoot. In mid-May, Great Point Studios cut the ribbon on its new television and film production facility. In addition to Great Point's three soundstages, there are three at Buffalo FilmWorks and one at Buffalo Toronto Public Media's downtown headquarters.

Buffalo State University is not only closely aligned with the rise in professional film work in Western New York but is also making strategic decisions about how to bridge the gap between education and professional application, as well as further values like diversity and accessibility. In June, the university was awarded a New York Entertainment Workforce Diversity Grant, which funds initiatives that address the lack of diversity in the media field.

Dorothea Braemer, Buffalo State associate professor of media production in the Communication Department and chief grant applicant, thought Buffalo State was a perfect match.

"Buffalo State is SUNY's only urban-engaged campus with a very diverse student population," she said, "and that's exactly the population we are trying to reach."

Every grant is a collaboration, Braemer said. This application process included working with faculty members from media production (part of the Communication Department), television and film arts, and the digital music production minor; Career and Professional Education (CAPE); Sponsored Programs; local entity Buffalo FilmWorks; the WNY Impact Investment Fund; and the Motion Picture Editors Guild.

A key benefit of this post-production diversity initiative is that it can create the professionals the film industry needs so that, when productions film here, they don't need to hire from outside. Western New York is home to hundreds of industry professionals-from actors to scenic painters to props masters-but its editor pool is smaller. Earlier this year, Mango NewEdit, which provides custom editorial systems to the Hollywood community, added a Buffalo location.

"As the film industry in Western New York continues to flourish, the demand for skilled video editors has never been greater," said Jennifer O'Neill, CEO and president of Buffalo FilmWorks, whose clients include Fox Searchlight Pictures, Paramount, and Universal. "This initiative not only addresses a critical community need by providing opportunities for local talent but also empowers productions to hire more local editors, fostering a vibrant and sustainable film ecosystem right here in our region. By investing in our local workforce, we are ensuring that Western New York remains a competitive and attractive destination for filmmakers from around the world."

"We are thrilled this important project is getting the support it deserves to create meaningful career opportunities in the film industry in Buffalo," said Tom Quinn, CEO of the Western New York Impact Investment Fund. "To see this intersection of energetic entrepreneurialism, creative higher education, and place-based impact investing coming together to drive positive change in Western New York is very rewarding."

So far in 2024, Western New York has been a filming site for multiple films, including The Cutman (starring William Fichtner), The Panic (starring Cary Elwes), a holiday movie by director Fred Olen Ray, and short filmThe Wrong Road, written by Emmy Award-winning writer and Buffalo State alumnus Tom Fontana, '73, (Oz, Borgia, Homicide: Life on the Street), which wrapped up filming in mid-March with a production crew largely comprising Buffalo State University undergraduate students.

Buffalo State's proposed post-production diversity initiative is based on three pillars: building industry-focused knowledge, developing social skills through networking and mentorship, and gaining technical skills through certificate training in video editing or sound mixing.

The grant will provide a salary for a project manager to oversee a yearlong program, which consists of the following:

• Virtual workshops with the Motion Picture Editors Guild about the professional components of post-production such as mastering workflow, being inside Hollywood cutting rooms, and skill optimization
• CAPE-led sessions on job readiness, résumé and cover-letter writing, and digital portfolio preparation
• A three-day trip to New York City to meet with and receive feedback from professional union editors
• A two-day trip around Buffalo to visit major local film landmarks and organizations
• Free one-week courses in Avid Media Composer, the leading industry software, resulting in a user certificate

"With that user certificate, you are much more marketable," Braemer said. "These courses are costly, so many people-especially those from less affluent communities-don't have access to them. Our courses will be offered for free, but people must go through the whole yearlong program."

Braemer emphasized that the program is not only for Buffalo State students. There are spots for up to 18 participants: half are reserved for students, and half are for members of the Western New York community.

"We want community members to participate," Braemer said. "This should be of interest for anyone with a background in editing who wants a greater chance of obtaining a professional position in the post-production field."

Braemer said she is inspired by a short film she worked on about Buffalo State's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). EOP, which was started at Buffalo State in 1967 by State Legislator Arthur O. Eve, provides mentorship and financial support for students traditionally excluded from access to higher education.

"Education is a human right, and everyone is entitled to higher education-regardless of income," she said. "Economically speaking, the kind of information, education, training, and networking participants will get through this initiative would cost thousands. We even included childcare for those who have children. This is an attempt to level the playing field in a field that tends to be very hierarchical and hard to break into."

Details are still being finalized; applications will open once a start date is set and a project manager is hired.

"There are so many stories that haven't been told," Braemer said. "We want to help future filmmakers tell those stories."

Photo by Dorothea Braemer.