NCCC Film & Animation Fest brings industry stars to WNY

Niagara County Community College Press Release

The NCCC Film & Animation Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the college's Sanborn campus, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road. The event features film and animation screenings, workshops, music, movie trivia contests, exhibits, food and refreshments. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public.

The annual event brings together filmmakers, animators, actors and enthusiasts from across Western New York and beyond. Guests will experience continuous screenings of finalists’ films, displays, exhibits, workshops and more.

This year’s keynote speaker is Gregory Lambersome, director of nine feature films, author of 15 published books, and co-founder of the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.

In addition, the college will honor Chris Cosgrave of Cheektowaga, recipient of the 2023 WNY Filmmaker of the Year award. Cosgrave directed, co-wrote, edited, acted and coordinated stunts and special effects for the film, which won the award for best drama at the inaugural NCCC film festival in 1998, and first prize in the Videomaker Magazine/Panasonic filmmaking contest. Since then, he’s racked up credits for his visual effects work on such films as “Gave Up the Ghost,” “Sepulcher,” “Dick Johnson and Tommygun vs. the Cannibal Cop,” “Killer Rack,” “The Mongolian Connection,” “Guns of Eden” and “Widow’s Point.”

Free workshops will take place throughout the day. Actor David Autovino will teach voiceover techniques for film and video from 11 a.m. to noon in Room E-107. He’ll provide a crash course for artists interested in voiceover, either as a performer or as a content producer.

Improv acting and auditions will be taught by Bob Bozek, a graduate the prominent Second City Conservatory Program and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Bozek will teach participants about improv games, techniques, connections, character development, and callbacks. Participants will have the chance to film a scene using these techniques. Bozek’s workshop will run from noon to 1 p.m. in Room E-106.

Maria Friend, professional special effects makeup artist, will host a shop about the design that goes into creating zombies, monsters, aliens and other diabolical creatures for the big screen. Her lesson, “Special Effects Make-Up: Dark Fantasy, Gore & More,” will run from 1-2 p.m. in Room E-107.

Film industry veteran Jay Vinitsky will present “Making it in the Film Industry” from 2-3 p.m. in E-106. As vice president of post-production for New Line Cinema, Vinitsky spent thousands of hours in editing rooms, theaters, mixing stages, and color timing sessions working with directors, editors, cinematographers and supervising sound editors. His movie credits include “Elf,” “Final Destination,” “Hairspray,” “Horrible Bosses,” “Snakes on a Plane,” “Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny,” “Keanu,” “Sex & The City” and “Wedding Crashers.”

For more information, or to register for free workshops, visit niagaracc.suny.edu/ncccfilmfestival.