In October of 2018, production offices were opened on IBM Road in Poughkeepsie for HBO’s I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE. Based on the bestselling novel by Wally Lamb, written and directed by Derek Cianfrance, this limited six-part limited drama series stars Mark Ruffalo as identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in a family saga that follows their parallel lives in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness. The series, set in the fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, shows Dominick and Thomas at different stages in their lives, beginning in their present in the early 1990s with both brothers approaching middle-age, filled in with Dominick’s flashbacks to their young adulthood and childhood. The series also features Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis, Kahthryn Hahn, Rosie O'Donnell, and Archie Panjabi.
As the production office opened, the Hudson Valley Film Commission was contacted by several departments for a variety of referrals including locations, crew, cast and vendors. Pre-production lasted through March of 2019. Over all, there were 130 scouting days tallied, and over 115 production days. The production offices closed in November 2019.
The local economic impact included more than $15-million in direct spending. That includes more than 27,500 rooms rented at local lodging establishments. Data collected by the Hudson Valley Film Commission does not include "multipliers," but indirect spending, which results from shopping, tourism, dining, recreation, new home buyers, new businesses, and services, is an important factor.
“We started making location and crew referrals right away in October of 2018,” recalls Hudson Valley Film Commission director Laurent Rejto. “What made communication super convenient was the fact that several key crew members had transitioned over from the Jim Jarmusch movie THE DEAD DON’T DIE, which had wrapped production in August.”
Casting call at Mid Hudson Civic Center
The Hudson Valley Film Commission sent daily reminders referring industry professionals who lived within a few miles of the production office. More than 50 local crew members and over 1500 local background extras were hired. Work regarding background extras started in March 2019 when the film commission worked with the Rita Powers Casting Group to coordinate an open call at the Mid Hudson (Majed J. Nesheiwat) Civic Center. Over 3,000 people showed up for the casting call. The film commission received more than 1-million hits a day on the social media posting.
"The Hudson Valley Film Commission was amazingly helpful with the production," wrote Rita Powers. "I can say my team could not have done it without their guidance. We needed thousands of extras. Without their assistance in posting, guidance and resources, I’m not sure we could have accomplished this."
Filming took place in four counties including Delaware (Arkville), Dutchess (Fishkill, Millbrook, Pleasant Valley, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, Wappingers Falls, Wassaic), Orange (New Windsor, Newburgh) and Ulster (Ulster, Esopus, Gardiner, Kingston, New Paltz, Town of Ulster).
$2-million was spent on locations alone. Approximately $750,000 was spent on local and state police, and contractors providing services such as painting, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, paving, engineering, environmental testing, landscaping, remediation, and more.
Select locations that viewers may recognize while watching the six part series that covers seven decades from 1920-1990, includes many private homes, roads, All Sport Health and Fitness, The Bleachery, Delaware and Ulster Railroad, Ellenville Regional Hospital, The Falls Theatre, HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary's Avenue Campus, Lake Minnewaska, Montrepose Cemetery, Rokeby, Route 209, Stewart Airport, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Umbra Sound Stages, Vassar College, and the Wallkill Valley Railway Trail, which was also used for the 2017 production of A QUIET PLACE.
Rokeby Photo: courtesy of Laurent Rejto
“The location department was amazing,” adds Rejto. “They ended up knowing the region better than anyone, but I’m happy we were able to make some good initial suggestions.”
The Hudson Valley Film Commission helped point us in the right direction countless times,” wrote location manager Steve Grivno. “[They] provided valuable local knowledge and communications between locations and the production to get the ball rolling. The assistance I experienced saved us a lot of time in a business where time is always of the essence.”
“The location department was amazing,” adds Rejto. “They ended up knowing the region better than anyone, but I’m happy we were able to make some good initial suggestions.”
The Hudson Valley Film Commission helped point us in the right direction countless times,” wrote location manager Steve Grivno. “[They] provided valuable local knowledge and communications between locations and the production to get the ball rolling. The assistance I experienced saved us a lot of time in a business where time is always of the essence.”
One specific referral was The Bleachery in Wappingers Falls.
Bleachey Photo: courtesy of Yves Bouzaglo
“It's a home run,” wrote Grivno. “We are renting space from them for production (Set Dec Storage, Scenic shop, Construction, etc.). Also, I think it's pretty much a given that their old building will be our old mill in the 1920s where our Hero's grandfather gets his first job in the USA.”
Other referrals included introductions to town officials including Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley who made sure the production would spend as much time and money in the region by making specific locations available including some very dramatic scenes on that were filmed on Route 209. Dutchess Tourism was also instrumental in making things easier across the board.
“Before and during filming, I could hear the word of mouth spreading between location managers and producers in New York City and various networks and studios, celebrating the accommodating and beautiful communities in the Hudson Valley,” added Grivno. “If filming is to seriously grow in the region, which most certainly seems to be the case, resources like the Hudson Valley Film Commission will be crucial for the facilitation of location and crew needs.”
“Film & TV production offers a way to invest both financially and personally in the creative potential of a burgeoning industry that generates billions of dollars in annual economic activity,” says Rejto. “When production crews come to the region, they require broad support and involvement; from location searches, participation in casting calls and crew referrals, to accounting, transportation, catering and technical support. It’s economic boon for the entire region.”
Since 2000, the Hudson Valley Film Commission has worked on over 500 FILM & TV productions to refer and help secure local crew, cast, locations, vendors, post production facilities, and more! The results have created thousands of jobs, education & training opportunities, regional promotion & marketing, and over $250 million in regional economic development.
SELECT Hudson Valley productions include:
To stream regional films, visit hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/streamfest
Werewolves Within • Things Heard and Seen • Billions • Monsterland • Audrey • The Plot Against America • Silent Retreat • Black Bear • Lapsis • Foxhole • The Undoing • I Know This Much Is True • Save Yourselves • I’m Thinking of Ending Things • Scare Me • Can You Keep a Secret? • Panic • High Maintenance • Driveways • Shirley • The Dead Don't Die • Avengers: Endgame • The Irishman • The Climb* • Swallow • Skin • The Mountain • A Quiet Place • Fabled • Then Came You • Furlough • A Vigilante • Nancy • Diane • The Miseducation of Cameron Post • La Devotee by Panic at the Disco! • It Comes at Night • Super Dark Times • The Seagull • HAPPYish • The Ticket • Growing Up Smith • Cold in July • Katie Fforde Films • True Story • The Sisterhood of Night • The Better Angels • We Are What We Are • The Bourne Legacy • Frances Ha • Our Idiot Brother • First Winter • The Last Keepers • Francine • Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding • Martha Marcy May Marlene • Higher Ground • Rocksteady • Bitter Feast • Stake Land • Man on Wire • Taking Woodstock • American Gangster • Michael Clayton • The Human Footprint • The Night Listener • Stephanie Daley • War of the Worlds • Down to the Bone • Personal Velocity