BUFFALO, N.Y. — Actor William Fichtner took a break in between rehearing with his 10-year-old scene partner to explain what was happening on the set of his new movie.
"Today we have two bigger scenes to shoot, but we have a lot of what they call an 1/8 of a page," the Western New York native said. "It's just this tiny little thing, but she's standing there with this plant that she always loved with me, so it's the one thing that she holds when she's leaving."
Fichtner plays a retired fighter who befriends the young girl and her mom when they're going through hard times.
"He takes a shine to her and as her mom spins more and more out of control, he becomes her guardian angel," director Michael Mailer said.
The movie is called "Cutman." It also starts Chris Noth, aka Mr. Big from "Sex and the City."
They've been filming around the area, as well as on the sound stages at Buffalo Film Works for the past few weeks.
"Well you know. you don't have to twist my arm to come back home," Fichtner said. "To be here on this project is particularly satisfying because I just I love this experience, and I really love this role and all the good folks that are involved with it."
Mailer was planning to film and set the move in downstate New York, until he got to talking with Fichtner and Buffalo Film Commissioner Tim Clark.
"The more I thought about it, and the more Bill talked to me, and Tim made his pitch, and Rich made his pitch, they won me over," Mailer said. "It was the smartest decision I made, to come up here and shoot."
Clark added: "This is really I guess, the first sizeable film project that we've had since the strike. But we have many more coming."
Western New Yorkers will recognize the scenery, references, and some background actors.
The motel room scene took place in the so-called "Orchard Park Hotel," and 10-year-old actress Caroline Concannon, a Long Island native, is seen holding a Niagara Falls snow globe. It's a place she proudly said she got to visit three times during filming.
"This is my first time, and I love it here," she said of Buffalo. "I just feel so welcome."
As her new friend Bill can tell her, the city can have that effect on people.
"You'll absolutely get the feel that this isn't Albany," Fichtner said. "I like Albany, but it's Buffalo, and you get it in the movie."
"Cutman" will likely come out sometime next year.