Buffalo's Tri-Main Center

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that through the Buffalo Billion initiative, a new post production, visual effects and animation company will be established at the landmark Tri-Main Center in Buffalo. Empire Visual Effects, which will partner with Daemen College, has pledged to create 150 new visual effects and other postproduction jobs within five years jobs that will pave the way for the creation of a new post production and visual effects industry in Western New York. New York State awarded the company and Daemen College a $4.5 million capital grant to facilitate the project.

The project is also supported by several pieces of legislation Governor Cuomo championed and signed into law in the past year which strengthened incentives to attract post-production film and television activity to the state. The new laws are designed to help attract postproduction work to communities, particularly in Upstate New York.

"We are pleased to welcome Empire Visual Effects to the City of Buffalo as they plant their roots in Upstate New York," Governor Cuomo said. "The establishment of Empire Visual Effects is evidence of the great potential of transforming Upstate and Western New York into a major film, animation and postproduction destination for the industry. I am confident the momentum, coupled with our Buffalo Billion commitment, will drive even more investment and projects to this region. This will mean more good-paying, high-tech jobs for New Yorkers in an exciting field."

“I want to thank Governor Cuomo and his unrelenting staff, who are committed to supporting an environment of opportunity that creates jobs in this great state,” said Marcelo Gandola, Co-chair Post New York Alliance, advisor to Empire State Visual Effects. “This is an outstanding day for Upstate and Downstate NY, and the film and television post production industry as a whole. I thank Daemon College who took the first step in creating the essential education piece of this process. Ben Porcari, Jonathan Hoffman and Pete Conlin have created what I feel will be a standard in the VFX/post production industry. New York State, the Post New York Alliance and the film and television industry should be proud of what has been accomplished here. I’m humbled to be part of this project and know I will look back at the success of this venture and this pivotal moment.”

To read the full press release, please click here.