On Saturday, July 31, the Hudson Valley Film Commission hosted a mixer at the newest Qualified Production Facility in the region – Michelson Studios at iPark84.
“It was a great turnout,” said Laurent Rejto, who hosted on behalf of the Film Commission. “We’ve been making introductions and referrals like this for two decades with the goal of creating mutually beneficial relationships that will benefit the region. We’ve worked closely with many other regional qualified production facilities, including Including Basilica Hudson, BSP (now closed), One Tomsons Road (now Upriver Studios), Tech City (now closed), and Umbra Newburgh. Upriver and Umbra are both hosting HBO projects, Pretty Little Liars, and The White House Plumbers. Ideally, Michelson Studios at iPark84 will bring more Film and TV projects to the region.”
Attendees included industry representatives, local politicians and even rock star, Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs.
Dutchess Tourism President and CEO Melaine Rottkamp attended on behalf of Film Dutchess.
“Film Dutchess is proud to work with the Hudson Valley Film Commission to promote Dutchess County as a great destination for productions of all sizes and types,” Rottkamp said. “We’re incredibly excited about the development of the state-of-the-art Michelson Studios at iPark which will help extend the tremendous economic impact we’ve seen in recent years for our community.”
“In addition to providing jobs for local crew members, actors, and others providing production services," Rottkamp added. “It also brings workers from outside the area who enjoy dining at our restaurants and exploring our many tourism attractions. And, once they realize what a great place Dutchess County is to live, work and play, they’re inclined to invite friends and family to visit while they’re here or plan return leisure trips.”
Michelson Studios at Ipark84 is a NYS qualified production facility (QPF) at 745 East Drive in East Fishkill, NY. The facility is 10 minutes from 2500+ hotel rooms, Amtrak and Metro North, and 60 minutes from the George Washington Bridge.
Michelson Studios at iPARK84 is a partnership between National Resources and Eric Michelson of Michelson Studios. Michelson is working with architect Stephen O’Dell, who has previously worked on W Hotels and Hilton Hotels, and engineer Wei Wang, who worked on the new Mario Cuomo Bridge, to create a futuristic look that pulls people in.
“Everyone has run around and done what they can to look for an existing building that kind of fits the bill,” said Michelson to the Times Union. Instead, he wondered: “Why don’t we just build an empty building and make the ceilings tall? No one has purposefully built one” here in the Hudson Valley.”
Michelson presented his ideas for the new purposefully built sound stages to Joe Cotter, President and CEO of National Resources, the developer for iPark Hudson in Yonkers. In partnership with Great Point Capital Management, a $100-million film and television facility is being developed for Lionsgate Entertainment.
National Resources is a development company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. In addition to many other projects, they maintain and run iPark84, the former IBM East Campus in East Fishkill, New York. iPark 84 is situated on 300-acres of land with over two million square feet of buildings and is set to become one of NRE's signature iParks, a branded mixed-use tech/flex redevelopment with film studios, retail, hotel and residential components. National Resources is also the developer for iPark Hudson in Yonkers. In partnership with Great Point Capital Management, a $100-million film and television facility is being developed for Lionsgate Entertainment.
Eric Michelson has created several studios including Michelson Studio 1 NYC and Michelson Studio 2, which was one of the largest studios in New York State. In addition to creating and running studios, Michelson was basically raised around Hollywood studios and backlots where his parents, Harold and Lillian, worked. Their work was the subject of Daniel Raim's passionate and beguiling documentary Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story. The story was recently adapted as a musical starring Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole. Movie fans know the work of Harold and Lillian Michelson, even if they don’t recognize the names. Working largely uncredited in the Hollywood system, storyboard artist Harold and film researcher Lillian left an indelible mark on classics by Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Stanley Kubrick, Roman Polanski and many more. Through an engaging mix of love letters, film clips and candid conversations with Harold and Lillian, Danny DeVito, Mel Brooks, Francis Ford Coppola and others, Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story, offers both a moving portrait of a marriage and a celebration of the unknown talents that help shape the films we love.
The EXISTING STAGE includes:
52,500 square foot space with 480 3-phase electric service
23 foot ceilings
2 loading docks
An additional 100,000 square feet, including:
Hallways
Office spaces
Cafeterias
Kitchen
The complex also includes Sloop Brewing, Jane Bakes Cafe, Powerhouse Gym, The Barns Art Center and other facilities.
The PROPOSED STAGES include:
8 new stages, including:
Six 30,000 square foot facilities with 40 foot ceilings
Two 15,000 square foot facilities with 40 foot ceilings
A 10 acre backlot
A video of the proposed facility is online at https://vimeo.com/568611573
For more info about Michelson Studios at iPark84, email michelsonipark@gmail.com
The Hudson Valley Film Commission is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that helps productions secure local crew, cast, locations, vendors, post production facilities, and more! Since 2000, the film commission has supported and worked on over 500 productions, helping to create thousands of jobs and over $275 million in regional economic development.
SELECT Mid-Hudson Valley productions:
To view full list or to stream regional films, visit www.hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/streamfest
Untitled Nick Wootton/Jake Coburn Project (NBC Universal) • Pretty Little Liars (HBO) • Stay Awake • Redemption in Cherry Springs (Hallmark) • Crumb Catcher • Life & Beth (Hulu) • The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO) • The White House Plumbers (HBO) • Remote • The Gilded Age (HBO) • Severance (Apple TV+) • The Whale (A24) • Old Man • Master (Amazon Studios) • Porcupine • The Hating Game (BCDF) • The Green Veil • Linoleum • The Sixth Reel • The Secret Diaries of an Exchange Student • Werewolves Within (Ubisoft/IFC Films) • Things Heard and Seen (Netflix) • Billions (Showtime) • Monsterland (Hulu) • 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) • Depraved (IFC Films) • 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 (IFC Films) • Skin • The Mountain • A Quiet Place (Paramount) • Fabled • Then Came You (BCDF) • Furlough (IFC Films) • A Vigilante • Nancy • Diane (IFC Films) • 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 • King Cobra (IFC Films) • Growing Up Smith • Cold in July (IFC Films) • 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 (IFC Films) • 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