2018 was a spectacular year for the Hudson Valley Film Commission and regional filmmaking. Several of the projects we worked on are currently making international news, including AVENGERS: ENDGAME, THE DEAD DON’T DIE and PLANET EARTH.
On March of 2018, the film commission was contacted by a location manager for Marvel regarding a feature film going by the name MARY LOU PART 2. We were told up front that it was a sequel for AVENGER: INFINITY WAR, but asked to keep the info top secret. Our task was to find lodging, and to refer local crew and vendors, including catering, and boat vendors.
We were also asked to find a wide open field with hills and terrain for the "battlefield." We recommended about eight properties. The VFX Team at Marvel ended up falling in love with the Staatsburgh State Historic Site in Dutchess County. The grounds are unique before the train line does cut off the property from the river. We were also asked to help with contact and permitting information for an Esopus property near the Black Creek Preserve in Ulster County.
The bulk of the movie, we were told, had already been filmed in Atlanta and the production would only be for VFX (visual effects) Plates. No cast would be involved, as is common with these major productions, but several of the stars, Paul Rudd and Mark Ruffalo, had Hudson Valley roots.
The schedule called for filming on the grounds of the properties, on the river looking back at the properties and from a helicopter and get aerial shots. Filming would take place in late June.
Our help and support was appreciated and the production was blessed with beautiful weather.
“Everyone really enjoyed, Esopus, Staatsburg and Kingston,” we were told. “It could not have gone better!! Everything went great. I'm hopeful we will be back soon and LONGER! We’re Looking forward to working with you again in the future.”
Location fees were paid for the Mills Mansion in Staatsburg, as well as the property in Esopus. The Esopus Fire Department was also used for holding, and catering. To quote the location manager, “Ready to Serve Catering was awesome.”
In March, we were also contacted by producers from Kill the Head, Inc. regarding Jim Jarmusch's next film. Carter Logan and Josh Astrachan were exploring the possibility of shooting at least some of their upcoming film in the Hudson Valley. They were concerned because it was a complex film with a lot of moving parts. We discussed the prospects and moved quickly to make referrals for primary locations, crew, background actors (zombies) and vendors. The final result, THE DEAD DON’T DIE will open the Cannes Film Festival and the production team was very pleased with the outcome.
"Shooting our film in the Hudson Valley was a truly wonderful experience,” exclaimed producers Carter Logan and Joshua Astrachan. “The cities and towns welcomed us with open arms, the people were kind and generous, and our local crew of remarkably talented artists and professionals were simply incredible. The Hudson Valley Film Commission was a fantastic resource, standing by for assistance every step of the way. We are so grateful for the support!"
For more details, see previous BLOG.
In April of 2018, we were contacted by Rachel Norman, the production coordinator for Silverback Productions about filming in the area for the 8 part natural history series, OUR PLANET. The series was being made in collaboration between Netflix, WWF (the world’s leading conservation organization) and Silverback Films, a production company whose directors are behind global wildlife series Planet Earth and Blue Planet.
The Hudson Valley Film Commission helped with location referrals, permits, and lodging. The team was focusing on the Ashokan Center and the Ashokan Reservoir.
“It was a bit frustrating because the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation limited access to the Ashokan Reservoir,” recalls Hudson Valley Film Commission director Laurent Rejto. “I understand how incredible and protected the reservoir is, but this wasn’t some random production team. No other group has more experience filming in sensitive environments with and without wildlife.”
The production team arrived in May to create a swathe of online conservation content to help launch the series. All of the content is aspirational, empowering and focused on the core message of OUR PLANET, that the world’s future can be amazing.
2018 included many other projects and 2019 has kicked off with the largest production to every film in the Hudson Valley.
For additional information, visit hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org or email filmcommission@me.com