"The Office" shot an episode in Niagara Falls.

A movie with Denzel Washington made a brief stop in Olean.

Angelina Jolie filmed stunts in Albany.

Cameras start rolling in Buffalo next month for a new Keanu Reeves flick.

Hollywood has shown unusual interest in upstate New York lately, but don't be surprised to

see more.

Producers and filmmakers want what New York State is offering: money.

State lawmakers last year sweetened the incentive for filmmakers and producers to shoot

movies and television episodes in New York.

Downstate gets the bulk of the business, but the new tax credit of 30 percent has had a

ripple effect on upstate regions like Buffalo, said Pat Swinney Kaufman, executive director of

the Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development.

In fact, another big-studio project filming in New York City is interested in coming to

Buffalo to shoot scenes later in the year, she said.

"I think what we're seeing is the payoff beginning," Kaufman said. "It's really, really

made the rest of the state much more competitive than it was before."

While upstate is getting a peek into Hollywood, it's also catching a glimpse of the intense

competition among states to attract attention of the movie and TV industries.

Dozens of states, as well as Canada, now offer some type of tax-based subsidy to lure

makers of movies and TV shows.

Lawmakers argue that large-scale productions rolling into town &#8212 staying in hotels,

eating at restaurants, shopping in stores — are a big boost to local economies.

Meanwhile, producers — under increased pressure to get financing for their projects

— are more than happy to shop for locations if states are offering them money.

Competition from other states forced New York to triple the value of its tax credit last

year, meaning films and TV series shot in the state may be eligible for a rebate of up to 30

percent of their "below-the-line" expenses. They include such costs as wardrobe, makeup, set

construction and technical crew.

It could mean millions for a big-budget production.

"You can make movies a lot of places," said Buffalo Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark,

"but the first thing they want to know is what can you do for them."

The frenzied competition is raising questions about whether such a short-term payoff is a

waste of taxpayer money, particularly in today's bad economy.

"People in the states in some ways don't understand the nature of the industry and think

they are going to attract and build an industry like Hollywood or New York City," said Susan

Christopherson, a Cornell University professor who has looked at state subsidies to the film

and TV industry. "The probability of that is next to nothing."

Christopherson, whose focus is economic development, is slightly less critical of the New

York tax credit, because New York City has such a long history with TV and the movies.

Still, she's skeptical about the economic impact.

New York estimates that every $1 put into the program — a total of $350 million

allocated for this fiscal year — generates as much as $1.90 in new revenue. Critics,

like Christopherson, claim it's hard to gauge whether the state is getting a decent return on

its investment, because the accounting is murky and production expenses aren't made public.

Whatever impact there is tends to benefit downstate.

"The whole state pays for it and the benefits go to New York City," Christopherson said.

"The state could do a better job of promoting upstate locations."

But that's what's happening now, others say.

"It's been more active the past four months, and the next three months ahead, than it has

been the past 18 years," said John Scardino Jr., a longtime representative for local union

crews who work in the industry.

Some examples:

Reeves is producing and starring in the romantic comedy "Henry's Crime," expected to

start filming in Buffalo next month.

Stunt scenes for "Get Him to the Greek," a Universal Studios comedy starring Russell

Brand and Jonah Hill, were shot at Letchworth State Park for a few days this summer.

Jolie plays a rogue CIA agent in next year's spy thriller "Salt," which has action

scenes filmed this spring in Albany, but Buffalo was scouted as a location, too.

Albany is also where Columbia Pictures is shooting scenes for the comedy "The Other Guys"

co-starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

"Taking Woodstock," a current release about the concert in the summer of 1969, was shot

last year in Rensselaer and Columbia counties.

"Unstoppable," a movie with Denzel Washington in pursuit of a runaway train, is

shooting on location in Pennsylvania, but its huge production crew rolled into the area last

month to shoot a few scenes in Olean.

Those are the more high-profile productions.

But Clark thinks the state incentive gives a region like Buffalo a better chance of landing

movies, such as "Henry's Crime" — independent films with marquee names that would shoot

in Buffalo for an extended period.

"We're never going to be another Hollywood or New York City," Clark said, "but what you

could have is a strong independent film market."

Another independent movie, "Nicholas of Myra: The Story of St. Nicholas," was shot in Buffalo

and the area this past summer

Not all the recent projects were lured by the state incentive. The region has other things

going for it, too.

The hit NBC comedy "The Office" filmed its wedding episode in iconic Niagara Falls.

Likewise, a cast and crew recently traveled from India to film a Bollywood love story at The

Falls. "Buffalo has some great looks to it," Kaufman said. "It's so compelling for its range

of locations and the great architecture. There's really some magic to Buffalo."