Buffalo State initiative continues to grow in its second year, creates film industry opportunities for students and community
In October, Buffalo State’s Post Production Diversity Initiative (PPDI) kicked off its second year of programming with a new cohort of 22 aspiring video and audio editors. Funded by Empire State Development’s NYS Career Readiness in Entertainment Workforce (CREW) Diversity Grant, PPDI’s goal is to increase diversity in the film industry, specifically in the field of post-production.
While Western New York is home to hundreds of film industry professionals—actors, scenic painters, props masters, and more—its editor pool is smaller. PPDI aims to bridge the gap between education and professional application, as well as further values like diversity and accessibility, so that when productions film in Western New York, they don’t need to hire editors from outside the region. The free one-year program prepares participants from diverse backgrounds for entry-level careers in video editing and audio mixing in the music, video, and media industries.
PPDI’s second call for applications received a record number of seventy-five, highlighting the demand for this workforce development program. Members of this year’s cohort cited a variety of reasons for application.
“Getting a leg up in any industry post-grad is an advantage you have to take,” said Buffalo State student and PPDI participant Cameron Orzechowski.
“I have a recording studio called The Igloo and I needed to brush up on my skills in order to better supplement my clients,” said PPDI participant Zahir Kijani aka Genecist, a hip hop/soul artist. “I want to give them a better quality of work.”
A collaboration between Buffalo State University, the Motion Picture Editors Guild - New York, Get Fokus’d Productions, Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center, GCR Audio, and the media company Avid, PPDI offers virtual classes with post-production professionals from the Motion Picture Editors Guild, career-development workshops with Buffalo State’s Career and Professional Education Center, creative portfolio development with Aitina Fareed-Cooke of Get Fokus’d Productions, mentorship and networking opportunities, field trips to both local and NYC post-production houses, and the opportunity to earn an Avid Media Composer or Pro Tools certification.
This year, new classes including “Visual Effects Using After Effects” and “Introduction to DaVinci Resolve” were introduced to the program through Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center. This month, participants attended their first After Effects class with Eli Jarra, a visual effects supervisor, cinematographer, and educator with more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Jarra has contributed to over 150 projects, including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor: Ragnarok, and Oblivion, as well as acclaimed television series like FBI, Chicago Fire, and Mad Men. His contributions to Smallville earned him multiple Visual Effects Society (VES) nominations and two VES Awards for Outstanding Compositing and Best Matte Painting.
PPDI community member Trivet Jarmond said he was so excited to be learning from Jarra. “The fact that the program brought in a legend that worked in Hollywood just goes to show their dedication to our education,” he said, “because to learn from somebody who teaches it and to learn from somebody who’s actually done it are two different things.”
“There are real, tangible, serious opportunities in this field,” said Kiesha Adamczyk-Bennett, a Buffalo State media production major with double minors in television and film arts and digital music production. “There are so many different avenues and facets of post-production, that if you just keep going forward, you will no doubt bump into success.”
Year two of PPDI will conclude in August 2026.
Photos by Kalvin Booker - Through His Lens Photography in collaboration with Get Fokus'd Productions.
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