The general public knows that movies are made in Rochester – they see stories every so often about a Hollywood star being in town, or a superhero chasing a robber on Main Street. But for those who work in the industry, it’s the productions that don’t make the news that keep the lights on for local crew. Rochester has such rich locations, such an experienced crew base, and such a strong infrastructure that producers often return again and again with new projects to take advantage of all our region has to offer.
This Friday, October 14, Tom Malloy’s latest film Ask Me To Dance has it’s local premiere at Movies 10 in Henrietta.
Ask Me to Dance is Malloy’s fifth film to shoot in Rochester. Those five films provide a Cliff’s Notes of sorts for shooting in Rochester. They are a range of genres and were shot in different seasons.
The Alphabet Killer (2008) is an intense serial killer thriller based on a true story, making use of Rochester’s wintry locations, with scenes set on freeways and near the Genesee River, as well as at homes in the suburbs.
Hero of the Underworld (2016) was an intense drama shot in the springtime, with Rochester locations standing in for NYC.
Rochester locations played rural Vermont in the summer of 2014 for the drama Fair Haven (2016).
The supernatural horror of #Screamers (2018) took advantage of snowy cemeteries and desolate farms, as well as Rochester’s metro streets and office locations.
Which brings us to Ask Me to Dance (2022), Malloy’s first rom-com to be shot in our region. Produced during the COVID-19 era, the filmmakers relied on their Rochester crew’s professionalism to keep the production safe and to rise to the challenge of shooting a film full of heart, humor, and dance choreography.
The Rochester/Finger Lakes Film Commission has played a key role in Tom Malloy’s continued enthusiasm for the Rochester area. As each film presented a new set of challenges, unique location requirements, and specific production needs, Tom’s first call was to the Film Office.
According to Tom Malloy himself, “Rochester is a fantastic location for shooting films. Stellar locations, charming people, and great local crew make it ideal for movies. I’ve worked closely with Nora Brown and the Rochester Film Office for years, and they’ve always been an incredible help with the films we’ve shot here!”
Now, we’re excited to celebrate the Rochester premiere of the exuberant, romantic, and laugh out loud funny Ask Me to Dance. The film will have it’s local premiere at Movies 10 on October 14, and information about that screening and future showtimes can be found at https://askmetodancemovie.com/.