Buffalo as a backdrop

By Darrian Dowdy

Buffalo has been invaded by zombies, pigmen, and aliens in recent years. 

Tyler Cheman, a local filmmaker, has been witness to this since the fall of 2012, when he began his work in the film business.

“ALIVE: An Undead Survival Series,” Volumes 1 and 2, were written and directed by Cheman. The series follows a small camp of apocalypse survivors just outside of Buffalo who must travel deep into the city for more supplies.

“Sci-fi holds a strong grip on Buffalo filmmakers,” Cheman said.

Science fiction has influenced the town of Angola, where the legends of Pigman and Holland Road have been the subject of movies such as “Holland Road” and “Pigman,” as well as being featured on Travel Channel’s television show, “Destination Fear.”

Local legend says that Holland Road is haunted by the ghost of a serial killer, Pigman, who kept pig heads on stakes around his home to keep people away. Jason Dunlap, a student at Brooklyn College, directed the documentary “the Horrors of Holland Road.” 

Holland Road - Darrian Dowdy

“I think that it's so popular due to the controversy surrounding the area. Everybody has their own personal ghost story regarding the place, and it makes for an exciting location,” Dunlap said. The documentary was entered into the Nichols School Flick Fest, where it was nominated for Best Horror Film.

One of the most notable locally produced films is “The Final Night And Day,” a feature length science fiction film directed by Hamburg High School alumnus, Adam Steigert.At the second annual Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival, the film won the award for Best Western New York Horror Feature. It is the largest locally produced independent film, with over 1,200 cast and crew members. 

Steigert is also known for his production of “Ombis: Alien Invasion,” which filmed at many unique locations such as Buffalo’s grain mills and the Cheektowaga town hall.

Despite Buffalo’s love for the supernatural, Cheman wants to move forward from it. “That’s why I wrote an action spy comedy,” Cheman said about his current project, “THE AGENTS: C.O.D.E,” which will be rated R. 

“It’s hard to write PG-13, because as a writer and filmmaker you try for so long to make it a quality film,” Cheman said. “And then the evil angel on the shoulder says… It’s better the other way.”

As Cheman continues to write and direct his own films, the local community is starting to change. 

“There is a lot of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) work slowly coming to Buffalo,” Cheman said. “It will be costly to have those kind of films but it is something that the local film community is preparing for.”

“I would like to see independent work that really explores the city: shows it as the living, breathing character it is,” said Dunlap.

“Dreams can be expensive,” Cheman said, “but having a heart for something is always free.”