BUFFALO, N.Y. -- "Why I Murdered My Roommate", the first TV series production based and filmed entirely in Buffalo, is a dark comedy that's putting the Queen City front and center.
"It features a tech-savvy performance artist who is on the run from the law," said executive producer and lead actress Tilke Hill. "She's uploading videos to the 'dark net' in order to share her side of the story of how a search for female friendship led to murder."
Hill said the humor is similar to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and uses the flashback storytelling device of "How I Met Your Mother." One of the flashbacks in this series even takes place on Dyngus Day.
The creators are calling it a trans-media series that tells the story through multiple platforms, like your smartphone.
"Not only do you have your character on the page, or your character on the screen, it's also in a game, or a comic book which I think opens up the audience to a whole other dimension," said actor Tate Ammons.
"Technology has gotten to the point where video has leveled the playing field for making films, and I think we've got a huge talent pool here in front and behind the camera in Buffalo," said Mike Kawa, production manager.
The film creators said shooting in this area is ideal because they can film more cost-efficiently in great locations.
"The first location I saw was Silo City and I was just totally blown away,” said Ammons.
The project is sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization. It's funded in part by a crowdfunding campaign that raised almost $20,000 in just two weeks.