By Darrian Dowdy
The producers, screenwriters, and special effects artists of Hollywood had to start somewhere. For some people, their road began in Buffalo.
Adam Steigert, Buffalo filmmaker and CEO of Deftone Pictures Studios Inc. (deftonepicturesstudios.com), started working on films in his early teens, when he began writing scripts.
“I was always told to write what you know,” Steigert said. “That’s the best way to tell a story.”
Tyler Cheman, Buffalo filmmaker, started producing independent films in 2012.
“I began to watch the ‘behind the scenes’ more often over the years, and admired the hard work and dedication going into each and every scene,” Cheman said.
In recent years, the Buffalo film community has been rapidly expanding.
“When I started there was no film community in Buffalo,” Steigert said. “I wish there was the supportive community that there is now in our local scene, but there wasn’t.”
“Buffalo is growing a lot in the industry,” Cheman said. “We as a community have been upgrading equipment for various groups to better our films.”
“Buffalo is a haven for beautiful landscape,” Steigert said. “As filmmakers we can use these landscapes to drive our stories, giving our films depth.
“Our Buffalo film community has flourished, allowing creativity and talent to set the stage. What makes our community so unique is that people all over the world are catching on to what Buffalo has to offer and allowing these talented individuals to stick out, with local film companies finding interesting and creative ways to tell their stories on limited budgets.
“The best thing is the determination and drive that our filmmakers provide to our community by just going outside, shooting a film, and impacting our community in a way that both support and embrace the people in it.”
Steigert and crew on set of his newest film, “S.T.A.R.” Photo by Dale Shero.
The Buffalo film community relies heavily on every member in order to continue creating pieces of art that go on to be seen around the world.
“Success is really who you know,” Cheman said. “Every project I’ve worked on, I’ve met someone new who has forwarded information, and in the end has bettered [everyone’s productions].”
In the film industry, having connections is one of the most important aspects of success. Visual effects artist Teague Chrystie said that having real connections was his breakthrough point.
“I had a large-enough group of friendly-enough people that when one job ended I could be fairly sure someone else I knew had something starting up,” Chrystie said. “Folks would be emailing me to see if I was available, and that’s the threshold you cross that allows you to stop freaking out about the constantly unknown future.”
Many filmmakers have the dream of working in Hollywood, but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to actually get there. Chrystie believes it is possible for local filmmaking to lead to just as successful of a career as Hollywood filmmaking.
“Do the exact thing you want to do in Hollywood in your small town,” Chrystie said. “The person who stayed back home and faced what felt like a big adversity by trying to make films in their uninspired hellhole will have finished two features,... one of which ends up on the festival circuit, and they beat their own path from there.”
Visual effects artist Ryan Wieber has forged his path in Hollywood.
“I started applying for jobs in visual effects at various TV and feature film visual effects companies all over the place, including where most of the work is, in Los Angeles.” said Wieber.
One of his most recent jobs was as a digital compositor on “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.” Wieber was hired by Lucasarts (lucasfilm.com) for the Visual Effects department after submitting his reel of freelance work.
“Most of my time on the movie was spent working on sequences where holograms had to be designed and composited, such as BB-8's map projection on the Falcon,” said Wieber.
Chrystie is currently working on a movie called “The Circle” starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. He works directly with the editor, visual effects supervisor, and director to stylize the film’s graphics.
“I've been designing graphics and animations for the social media stuff we see in the movie,” Chrystie said. “It's been an absolute blast so far.”
Cheman’s next film, “The Agents: C.O.D.E.” is a spy comedy. Set in December of 1999, a madman tries to take over the world by launching a post apocalyptic attack in what would have been the real Y2k.
Billy Nemi on set of Cheman’s newest film, “The Agents: C.O.D.E.”
Production still courtesy of Tyler Cheman.
Steigert’s next film “S.T.A.R.” is currently in its post-production stage, being prepared for release.
Even with years of hard work and dedication, not every independent filmmaker will make their big break in Hollywood. Many will stay in their hometowns, taking jobs and doing independent films on the side.
“If you do that and it works, Hollywood will find you,” Chrystie said.
“Always ask yourself, ‘What’s the end goal?’” Steigert said. “If it’s just to have a good time and make some art with some friends or fellow filmmakers, then enjoy every minute of it.”
