The Hollywood of the East Coast: The Hudson Valley reels in new filming

Hollywood and New York City have always been the usual places people think of when they see film shootings; however, there has been a huge development in the creation of films right in our neighborhood. The Hudson Valley is quickly becoming a new hot spot location for movies and tv shows.  

“Filmmaking in the Hudson Valley so far this year has broken the record for the entire year of 2021,” according to Mid Hudson News. As there are a load of filmmakers in the industry looking to find a platform to post and promote their individual and creative endeavors, Hudsy TV was born. Hudsy TV is a streaming platform meant to catch the hidden film stories within the Hudson Valley. Rather than having filmmakers post to only Vimeo and YouTube for posting their content, they now have a more public community to view their artistic stories. 

The Hudson Valley Film Commission has reported over $110 million dollars for direct and indirect spending for film projects. This contribution to the local economy is creating new jobs that many would have to look elsewhere for previously. New jobs created include acting gigs, background work on set, crew jobs such as gaffer, lighting technicians and production assistants. 

This year’s shoots for numerous projects have created 561 local crew jobs, and work for more than 2,500 actors and background extras according to the Hudson Valley Film Commission. While filmmaking is one of the hardest industries to break into, finally jetting a job turns dreams into reality for those who are passionate about it.

For years, the Hudson Valley has inspired filmmakers, artists and creators from all walks of life to come together to create films beyond their wildest imaginations, using the area’s amazing scenery and abundant access to nature. HBO has become a frequent in the Hudson Valley, filming such projects as “The White House Plumbers,” “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” according to Inside+Out Upstate NY. The streaming platform that brought Euphoria to audiences around the United States is now infiltrating the Hudson Valley. 

For over twenty years, the Hudson Valley Film Commission has been aiming to establish a filmmaking community in the beloved area that they call home. The Hudson Valley Film Commission worked with several major studios to film projects, such as Apple TV+, HBO, Hulu and Netflix. According to Inside+Out Upsate, filming productions went for the show “Severance,” back in 2021 which was directed by Ben Stiller, starring Adam Scott for Apple TV+ 

The latest film project in production for the Hudson Valley is an upcoming television series called Poker Face. This is a mystery show destined to air on Peacock, which is coming from creator Rian Johnson. According to the Times Union, the production team completed some filming back in June and July of this year in Beacon, Fishkill, New Paltz and other areas. 

Hudsy TV shows a vast variety of documentary films showcasing people and their stories in the Hudson Valley region. According to the Chronogram, projects include Against the Grain, a film about West African rice farmers in Ulster Park, Firefly, a film about Kingston basketball player Tay Fisher who played for the Harlem Globetrotters and a series called Canopy Connections, a series where strangers climb trees to have conversations about life. 

The platform Hudsy TV, is a base for artists and film creators to come from all ages to promote their stories in the Hudson Valley. Hudsy TV is only the start of presenting stories for a now changing film community. The Hudson Valley has become the Hollywood of the East Coast as the film industry continues to recognize the advantages of the area.