UCIDA SUPPORTS HUDSON VALLEY FILM COMMISSION’S CREATIVE ECONOMY THRUST

UCIDA SUPPORTS HUDSON VALLEY FILM
COMMISSION’S CREATIVE ECONOMY THRUST

(Hudson Valley, NY) – The Hudson Valley Film Commission is pleased to announce that a recent grant from the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency will allow the non-profit organization to continue its mission to promote sustainable economic development by attracting  and supporting film, video and media production in the Hudson Valley – Catskills.

“I am so very grateful for the support, assistance and leadership of the UCIDA,” said HVFC director Laurent Rejto. “I’m delighted and honored to work with an agency and representatives who believe as I do that you can be conservative, frugal and still create progressive programs that can bring about important economic development and opportunities for local residents and the region.”

UCIDA Chair Dave O’Halloran noted, “Economic development will benefit by our continued financial support of this creative industry. Partnering with the Hudson Valley Film Commission is a win-win for Ulster County.”

UCIDA will also aid in securing additional grants from surrounding counties in an effort to increase regional support for the film commission, which promotes and creates opportunities in Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Columbia, Orange and Ulster Counties.

Pat Swinney Kaufman, Executive Director of the NY State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development wrote that “With the proper funding coming directly from the counties the Hudson Valley Commission services, the HVFC will not only continue to put the Hudson Valley / Catskill region on the map as an attractive and film friendly region for feature and television productions, but will also be able to flourish and increase visibility to the area, bringing more and more projects to shoot here… I respectfully recommend that the Hudson Valley Film Commission receive proper annual funding to insure its continued success….”

The impact of local film and media production in 2010 surmounted fifteen million dollars and resulted in full & part time jobs, and revenue for local vendors who provide services to the industry including accounting, actors, caterers, crew members, food, gear, location managers, location rentals, lodging, special effects, tent rentals, transportation and much more.

In 2010, there were over 813 days of production in the region—284 days resulted from feature films production. Project budgets ran the gamut from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars. NNY Productions was back to produce three more films for German TV. They will be back again in 2011. PEACE, LOVE & MISUNDERSTANDING, which was directed by Australian legend Bruce Beresford (Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy) hired hundreds of local vendors and provided many well paying part time jobs, in addition to other revenues. Other film titles included FRANCINE, for which the film commission referred Oscar® nominee Melissa Leo, THE ART OF LOVE, HIGHER GROUND, ANGELS, RETURN, GRAVITY and about fifty other projects.

2011 looks like it’s going to be another busy year for the Hudson Valley Film Commission and the region. There are two films currently in production and about twenty others already scouting or prepping.

The Hudson Valley Film Commission creates strategic economic development by serving as a conduit for pre-production, production and post-production in the Hudson Valley & Catskill region. Productions of this kind are an economic boon that simultaneously attracts cultural tourism and visibility to the region. HVFC works closely with industry members by referring locations, cast, crew and local vendors. A freee online directory also promotes local residents who can provide services to the film industry.

HVFC also promotes the area throughout the year as a legitimate place to film. Recently, HVFC co hosted a breakfast at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in an effort to persuade filmmakers to shoot their next film in the Hudson Valley.

Film, with its ripple effect of production, distribution and the festival circuit, offers a new way to invest both financially and personally in the creative potential of a burgeoning and fascinating industry. The New York State Department of Labor reports that the film industry generates over six billion dollars of economic activity annually. The continued aim of the Hudson Valley Film Commission is to ensure that these financial benefits continue to be realized for our locality.

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