Crews have just finished shooting Hallmark’s tent pole 2025 holiday season movie - “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” - and already the network is looking at the Buffalo area for more filming. The region has already seen nine movies shot here this year, with more in the works, according to the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission.
There were a couple of similar themes that popped up during the filming of “Holiday Touchdown” and “A Newport Christmas” - both movies that were made in Buffalo this spring.
First, the state’s 40% tax credit for movies shot in Upstate New York is a huge, financial game changer for filmmakers as Holiday Touchdown’s director Dustin Rickert explains.
“Tax credits are a huge part for any network or any studio that's going to make films, they're outlaying a large amount of funds and money when they make these films, and they put a lot of faith in the areas that they go to,” Rickert said. “So quite naturally, what New York State did with their tax credits here, just even adding their additional 10% kicker to make it a 40% has been huge.”
Then, there is a region that welcomes movie productions with open arms, dating back to when “The Natural” and “Best Friends” were shot here in the early 1980s.
Veteran film producer Andrew Gernhard says the work of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission is a benefit.
“We’re used to working in Connecticut. We've done shoots down south and overseas. So, we wanted to see what the area was like, see what the culture was like, see what the people were like,” Gernhard said. “It went great for the first movie, and it's even better on this movie, which is the Buffalo Bills movie, and it's just been a wonderful experience.”
The nine movies shot in the region this year have left behind a spin-off economic impact north of $80 million, according to the film commission
Gernhard says he will be coming back to make more movies and others will follow.
“I really think it's a growing place. It's not just going to be us coming here. I know there are a lot of rumors about bigger films coming and smaller films and series. So, I think there's going to be an uptick of production here in Western New York,” Gernhard said.
It’s not just Hallmark who’s planning more movies here, but so are other studios and production houses. Rickert attributes that to the regional scenery and municipal leaders opening their streets to filmmakers.
More “Lights, cameras, action!” is coming to Western New York.
