Cindy Abbott Letro interviews Mario Lopez who produced and starred in “A Chirstmas Spark” which recently wrapped production in WNY.
New York State Film Tax Credit Enhancements Announced
This morning Governor Hochul signed the FY2026 NYS budget, including enhancements to the NYS Film Tax Credit Programs to attract and retain film and tv production. As demonstrated through the budget, the Governor and the Legislature are committed to uplifting the lives of New Yorkers through social and economic initiatives that strengthen New York’s workforce and keep our economy vibrant and strong.
Along with preserving and enhancing the NYS Film Tax Credit Programs, the budget will increase the stability and competitiveness of the New York State film and television industries through two new, first-in-the-nation initiatives: Production+ and the Empire State Independent Production Program.
Highlights from the FY 2026 New York State Budget include:
- Establishment of the Production+ program, which incentivizes recurring business and multiple productions through 2028.
- Companies which produce two or more projects in NYS and commit to at least $100M in qualified spending will receive an additional 10% incentive for future projects.
- Independent companies can opt to reach a threshold of $20 million in qualified spending for an additional 5% incentive.
- Establishment of the $100M Empire State Independent Production Program, an innovative new program which will expedite the monetization of the credit for independent projects.
- Make New York more competitive in attracting projects by removing the individual cap on the Above-the-Line eligibility while maintaining the guardrail to not exceed 40% of all other costs.
- Extend the programs by 2 years, from 2034 through 2036.
- Remove the multi-year payout tiers for new applicants, shortening the time frame of actualizing tax credits.
- Incentivize musical scoring in NY with an additional 10% incentive for projects that include 5 or more musicians.
- Add flexibility to the post-production incentive by enabling productions to either reach a minimum of $1M in qualified costs or the existing threshold of 75% of the total qualified post-production costs.
- Attract more VFX and animation by reducing the eligibility thresholds from 20% to 10% or $500K.
- Through regulatory actions, allowing independent productions to file for a credit earlier in the production process.
Through these significant enhancements, the Governor has demonstrated once again her commitment to New York’s film and TV industry.
The NYS Film Tax Credit Programs are committed to providing a variety of resources for the film industry, strengthening local economies and protecting film & television careers across the state. Over the coming months, these updates will be reflected in new program regulations, guidelines, applications, and website updates. Subscribe to the MPTV Newsletter for the latest information.
For more information or to answer any questions about the Film Tax Credit Program, please contact (212) 803-2328 or filmcredits@esd.ny.gov.
Sincerely,
The NYS Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development
BEHIND THE CAMERA: NFTA Director of Public Affairs Helen Tederous
Director of Public Affairs Helen Tederous coordinates all production requests for the The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority(NFTA). This includes the Niagara Falls and Buffalo International Airports as well as Metro Bus and Rail. Helen has been instrumental in making the Buffalo Niagara Region a film friendly destination when it comes to the NFTA’s many transportation asset’s.
Cinema Arts Expo Coming to Villa Maria April 5th
Expo Producer Greg Lamberson of Cinema Arts Collaborative
Villa Maria College will host the first Cinema Arts Expo on Saturday, April 5th from 10:30am – 5:30 pm. The expo is the first event from Cinema Arts Collaborative, Inc., a new nonprofit organization created to promote, educate and grow the Buffalo-Niagara film community. The event will consist primarily of panels featuring area creators and professionals. Local filmmaker Gregory Lamberson, a member of the Producers Guild of America, serves as the executive director of CAC and will moderate most of the panels.
“Many films are coming to Buffalo to shoot in the very near future and we need to grow our crew base,” says Lamberson. “This expo is aimed at creators, but also at people who wish to join the film crew community: film students, graduates and others seeking to get their foot in the door. Networking is crucial, and showing up is a large part of the battle.”
The first panel of the day will be “Buffalo Niagara Film Production,” featuring Buffalo-Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark, Buffalo Film Office Director of Operations Rich Wall, and Cindy Abbott Letro, who sits on the film commission’s board of directors and hosts Behind the Camera on YouTube. “This is a great opportunity for local residents, including students who are graduating this spring, to network with film professionals and learn about the Buffalo-Niagara film community,” says Clark.
Additional panels will be devoted to Screenwriting (Jeff Wilber, Paul McGinnis, Richie Leyland, Ken Rowe), Producing (Peter Johnson, Tom Paolino, Emily Sheng, Nikki Styliades Howze), Directing (Peter McGennis, John Michael Nolan, Kyle Mecca, David O. Anderson), and Women in Film (Sabrina Pena Young, Kristen Skeet, Hope Muehlbauer).
In addition, Lameberson will conduct an on stage conversation with John Scardino, Business Representative for Local 52 Motion Picture Studio Mechanics. Scardino will discuss the benefits and process of joining the union. “Not everyone who wants to work on movies wants to be a writer, director, or producer,” says Lamberson. “Students are graduating from Villa Maria, Buff State, and UB who wish to earn a living working on movies in a wide range of crew positions.”
To help graduating students and others land those all important first film set jobs, Lamberson is requesting that interested parties bring a hard copy of their resume to the expo and submit it to the Cinema Arts Collaborative table where tickets will be sold. “We’re going to scan these resumes, create a PDF directory, and send it to every person I know who is likely to be hiring crew when all these movies start coming to town. Additionally, a fellow nonprofit, Film Neighbor Network, will have a table at the expo, and they have a track record of helping students land internships.”
Lamberson plans to grow Cinema Arts Expo in the years to come because the demand for crew members is only going to increase, and he hopes Villa Maria will always be the event’s home because their goals are well aligned. “We look forward to welcoming the Cinema Arts Collaborative to campus for the first Cinema Arts Expo,” says Dr. Matthew Giordano, president of Villa Maria College. “By providing an opportunity for collaboration, education, and networking, the event will strengthen the local film community while providing our students with another opportunity to learn from experienced professionals. Hosting events like the Cinema Arts Expo support our ongoing efforts to create structured pathways to sustainable careers for our students and the greater Western New York film industry.”
The Founding Directors of Cinema Arts Collaborative, Inc. are Sabrina Pena Young, President; Terry Kimmel, Vice President and Secretary; and Armand John Petri, Treasurer.
Villa Maria College is located at 240 Pine Ridge Road in Buffalo. Regular admission for Cinema Arts Expo is $20, and students and seniors 60 and over pay $15 (cash at the door).
Cinema Arts Collaborative, Inc.
www.CinmaArtsCollaborative.com
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“Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” to be filmed entirely in WNY
STUDIO CITY, CA and BUFFALO, NY – March 27, 2025 –– On the heels of its winning partnership last year, Hallmark Media, NFL and Skydance Sports are running it back this Christmas with Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story, a new, original movie premiering during the GOAT of festive films, Hallmark Channel’s 16th annual Countdown to Christmas. The announcement was made today through a video featuring Bills Safety Damar Hamlin. Production kicks off later this year and will film entirely at locations in and around Buffalo, New York, including iconic Highmark Stadium, which is making its last stand as the Bills home field in the upcoming 2025 NFL season. The starting lineup will be announced at a later date.
“The incredible success of last year’s partnership with the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs far exceeded our expectations,” said Darren Abbott, Chief Brand Officer, Hallmark. “We are thrilled to team up with the Bills this year for a new holiday movie filled with heart, family and the classic Hallmark storytelling that our fans know and love, all set against the special community the Bills franchise has nurtured throughout its storied history.”
“We were honored to be approached by Skydance Sports to participate in this amazing project that will showcase two powerful brands – Hallmark and the Buffalo Bills,” said Pete Guelli, Chief Operating Officer, Buffalo Bills. “This is just another example of how the Bills brand and our amazing fan base continues to grow across the sports and entertainment landscape. This is an incredible opportunity to feature Western New York and Bills Mafia on the Hallmark platform. It is a privilege to be part of this project, and we hope this film will be a hit during the holiday season!”
With planning underway, fan activations, unique co-branded merchandise, and on-air, social, and digital promotion, the multifaceted partnership will engage widespread audiences both on and off the field, with more details to be announced later this year. What’s more, this film will fuel the proven track record of viewership crossover between Countdown to Christmas enthusiasts and football fans. In fact, over 75% of Hallmark Channel viewers also watched NFL Football while Countdown to Christmas was on air in 2024, making this film the perfect holiday occasion.*
Skydance Sports serves as the Executive Producer of Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story. A newly formed venture between Skydance Media and the NFL, Skydance Sports is designed to create a top-end sports content studio and expand multi-platform sports programming across a broad range of formats.
ABOUT HALLMARK MEDIA
Owned and operated by Hallmark Cards, Inc., Hallmark Media is entertainment’s leading destination for feel-good content. Hallmark Channel features an ambitious slate of new, original movies, scripted series, and the popular annual holiday franchise, Countdown to Christmas. Hallmark Mystery features a unique mix of movies and acquired series focused on the lighter side of the suspense and mystery genres, as well as its own seasonal programming event, Miracles of Christmas. Hallmark Family showcases timeless storytelling for the whole family centered around faith, love, and community. The company’s subscription streaming service and membership program, Hallmark+ offers a distinctive blend of all new, exclusive original series and movies, next-day access to Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Mystery premieres, plus monthly discounts and rewards for shopping at Hallmark Gold Crown retail stores. For more information, please visit www.corporate.hallmarkmedia.com.
ABOUT SKYDANCE SPORTS
Skydance Sports, the joint venture between the NFL and Skydance, has quickly become the preeminent studio for leagues, teams, elite athletes and A-List Hollywood talent seeking to produce premium, sports-related entertainment. Initially launched in 2021, the studio’s first two projects include the Sports Emmy-nominated docuseries Good Rivals and the critically acclaimed film Air which received two Golden Globe Award nominations including “Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.” In 2022, Skydance partnered with the NFL and NFL Films on a joint venture to significantly expand multi-platform programming across sports in a broad range of formats for partners, fans, and viewers around the world. The partnership’s projects include the upcoming docuseries America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys chronicling the Dallas Cowboys’ dynasty and franchise owner Jerry Jones, a documentary feature on football legend John Elway, and a docuseries on tennis icon Rafael Nadal for Netflix along with a scripted series for Hulu written and executive produced by Dan Fogelman set inside the world of the NFL. Recently released projects include the Hallmark holiday movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma for Netflix, Freediver on Prime Video, Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants for HBO as well as the Sports Emmy-nominated NFL Draft: The Pick Is In for The Roku Channel and Kelce for Prime Video.
The latest media coverage links:
Today Show
Buffalo Bills
Sports Illustrated
Variety
Buffalo News