The Hudson Valley Film Commission has been working with a considerable amount of Film & TV companies as production returns to the region under stringent Covid-19 guidelines.
On location with One Week in Heaven.
Photo courtesy of Chuck Merrihew.
2020 started off with strong first quarter earnings due to several projects including Diaries of an Exchange Student (from Brazil) and Werewolves Within (from Ubisoft). Production came to a stop in mid March as the pandemic broke out. In August of 2020, the film commission worked with several smaller productions without incident, including One Week in Heaven and The Institute. Over the remaining several months, half a dozen other productions took place including The Hating Game, from BCDF Pictures, Linoleum, Pumkinhole, The Sixth Reel, and The Green Veil, starring John Leguizamo.
On location with The Green Veil
“We are forever grateful to the Hudson Valley Film Commission team, they were extremely helpful and knowledgeable with any request we threw at them,” wrote The Green Veil producer Alessia Gatti. “From recommending local picture car owners to drivers, locations, catering and more, they are an incredible asset for any production that intends to film in the Hudson Valley.”
As 2021 rolled around, more potential productions started contacting the film commission.
On location in Phillipstown for filming of Pumpkinhole, directed by Juan Pablo Arias Munoz. Photo courtesy of producer Marc Tarczali.
“Inquiries about filming in the region have increased significantly. We get calls every week,” says executive director Laurent Rejto. “Currently, we’re working with more than 10 companies including HBO, Netflix, Paramount, and many smaller indies. Right now, we’re happy to report that four projects have started up including a Netflix production that recently filmed at Vassar. We anticipate the floodgates will open as soon as safety concerns are under better control.”
Since 2000, Rejto has been referring local crew, cast, locations, vendors, post production facilities, and more to Film and TV productions. Over the past 20+ years, thousands of local jobs have been created on more than 500 productions, resulting in more than $250 million in regional economic development.
“We’ve always worked with the community by speaking at local libraries, schools and even halls,” adds Rejto. “Since the pandemic, we have relied on our Facebook page posts. Currently we’re working with a location manager we’ve worked with on four prior films, to find an ideal modern house for a potential production this coming March.”
Driveways producer Joe Pirro (l), Laurent Rejto, and director Andrew Ahn (r).
In addition to making early referrals, the Hudson Valley Film Commission also supports and promotes the productions it works with through BLOGS and its new STREAMFEST website, which includes information and streaming links to hundreds of productions that were filmed, either in whole, or in part, in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Films and TV productions that were recently promoted include Shirley, Driveways, I Know This Much is True, The Plot Against America, and The Undoing.
For a complete list, see STREAMFEST
For additional information including the film commission directory, visit www.hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org
The Hudson Valley Film Commission is a 501c3 non profit organization that helps productions secure local crew, cast, locations, vendors, post production facilities, and more. The Hudson Valley Film Commission is supported in part by Dutchess Tourism, Putnam County, Markertek, the Wood Dock Foundation and private support from kind donors. To support our continued efforts with a tax-deductible contribution visit hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/support
Select Mid-Hudson Valley productions include:
The Hating Game • The Green Veil • Linoleum • The Sixth Reel • Diaries of an Exchange Student • Werewolves Within (Ubisoft Film) • Things Heard and Seen (Netflix) • Billions (Showtime) • Monsterland (Hulu) • Audrey • The Plot Against America (HBO) • Silent Retreat (Miramax) • Black Bear • Lapsis • Foxhole • The Undoing (HBO) • I Know This Much Is True (HBO)• Save Yourselves • I’m Thinking of Ending Things (Netflix) • Scare Me • A Quiet Place 2 (Paramount) • Can You Keep a Secret? (BCDF) • Panic (Amazon Prime) • High Maintenance (HBO) • Shirley (Killer Films) • Driveways • The Dead Don't Die (Focus Features) • Avengers: Endgame (Marvel Studios) • The Irishman (Netflix) • The Climb • Swallow • Skin • The Mountain • A Quiet Place (Paramount) • Fabled • Then Came You (BCDF) • 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 (Showtime) • 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 (BCDF) • Francine • Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding • Martha Marcy May Marlene • Higher Ground • Rocksteady • Bitter Feast • Stake Land • Man on Wire • Taking Woodstock (Focus Features) • American Gangster (Imagine Entertainment) • Michael Clayton • The Human Footprint (National Geographic) • The Night Listener • Stephanie Daley • War of the Worlds (Dreamworks) • Down to the Bone • Personal Velocity • Prey