Do you want to work in the Hudson Valley film industry? Here’s how.

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: