In recent years, Hollywood has been pouring money, time and resources into the Hudson Valley. The New York Times reported that in the late 2010s, Hollywood spent over $100 million toward building a large production studio at a former IBM complex in Ulster. And over the first three quarters of 2022, the Hudson Valley Film Commission tracked more than $60 million in direct local spending in the region.
That has led to a flurry of film activity in the region and opportunities for locals to get involved in the industry. In 2019, the hit HBO mini-series, “I Know This Much Is True,” starring Mark Ruffalo, was shot entirely in Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls and Kingston. Additionally, Apple TV+’s new hit series, “Severance,” was shot in both Kingston and Beacon and has been nominated for a total of 14 Emmy awards.
To find out how aspiring filmmakers can get their feet wet in this growing regional industry, I interviewed a handful of professional filmmakers in the Hudson Valley. These five essential steps were repeated in every interview:
