Syracuse is quietly edging into the spotlight as a filmmaking hub. Local productions, a homegrown festival and a Liverpool-based studio are pulling crews and premieres into Central New York, and this Sunday the Palace Theatre will host SASFest, a full day of 21 short and long-form projects from area filmmakers. That mix of grassroots programming and streaming-era success has given the city fresh motivation to chase production work.
The Syracuse Actors Studio, founded by Joe Cunningham and Laura Stisser to provide no-cost classes and screenings, is the force behind SASFest. The group says the festival will showcase 21 projects, from documentaries to music videos. As reported by Spectrum News, Cunningham described the studio as a place "where people could come together and be excited" about acting and film. The Palace Theatre lists the event on its calendar (Palace Theatre), and the festival's schedule and tickets are posted on Eventbrite.
Incentives Are Bringing Shoots North
Producers point to New York's revamped film tax-credit program as the practical reason more shoots are heading upstate. According to Empire State Development, enhancements that took effect April 1, 2023 increased the annual allocation to $700 million, restored a 30% base credit and kept the 10% upstate bump that can push some projects to a 40% credit. Supporters say that package makes Syracuse and other upstate locations much more appealing to mid-budget and streaming productions.
A Breakout Local Production
American High, the Liverpool-based production company that turned a repurposed high school into a working studio, has become a local calling card. Its feature Pizza Movie premiered at SXSW and landed on Hulu in early April, as noted on Rotten Tomatoes and in festival coverage. Syracuse Actors Studio co-founder Joe Cunningham told Spectrum News that the film's streaming traction, "they're number one on Hulu right now for the 'Pizza' movie," has helped draw outside producers' attention to the region.
How The Growth Plays In Town
Venue operators and organizers say shoots and small festivals can translate into paying gigs for local crew, rentals for equipment houses and more traffic for downtown businesses. The Palace's event page and the SASFest listing lay out the festival's schedule and public programming, and local outlets have highlighted the practical upside of building a production pipeline between community filmmakers and professional companies. Critics, however, note that generous incentives carry a price tag. A state-funded review cited by New York State Senate materials questioned whether the $700 million annual allocation consistently delivers a strong return for taxpayers.
For now, the combination of a grassroots festival, a local studio with national reach and state incentives has given Syracuse a noticeable surge of momentum. Organizers hope SASFest becomes an annual destination and that the shoots trickling through upstate this spring grow into longer term jobs and steady, year-round production work.
