January 27, 2021 • 52 mins
The Hudson Valley is naturally cinematic. Seeing the opportunity to drive the local economy through expansion of the Hudson Valley’s growing film and tv production capacity, Mary Stuart Masterson has made the Hudson Valley her home, founding Stockade Works and Upriver Studios. This week we're exploring film production, job creation, and the film and tv ecosystem developing in the Hudson Valley with Mary Stuart Masterson.
This week's episode features Mary Stuart Masterson, Founder & President of Stockade Works and Upriver Studios, LLC., and Partner at Quality Pictures. After decades in front of the camera, Mary Stuart moved to the Hudson Valley in 2006 when she directed her first feature, The Cake Eaters. After a hiatus to start her family, Mary Stuart moved to New York’s Hudson Valley and founded Stockade Works, a non-profit that trains, hires and mentors the local workforce in film production across all departments. In addition, Mary Stuart is the Founder of Upriver Studios, a state of the art soundstage complex opening in the Hudson Valley, and co-Founder of Storyhorse Documentary Theater Company.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
We are experiencing a paradigm shift, a fundamental
change in the way we usually dothings.
We are intentionally choosing tosee the silver lining
opportunity arises.
We can shine a light on thethings that weren't working well
(00:25):
on those things that weren'treally working at all, we can
regroup reevaluate andre-engineer it's time to explore
new patterns and paradigms thosethat inspire us to rise above
the chaos and explore how theconditions of today and take us
(00:47):
to a better tomorrow patternsand paradigms the pattern
podcast from Hudson Valleypattern for progress.
You're listening to season two,episode four, film production
and job creation with your hostpattern, president and CEO,
Jonathan Dropkin.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Hi everyone.
And welcome to this week'sepisode of patterns and
paradigms.
Today, we will be joined by theactor and director and so much
more Mary Stuart Masterson.
We're just a great conversationabout the film industry and what
she's been up to in her venturesin the Hudson Valley, please
(01:26):
remember to subscribe to ourpower podcast and if you enjoy
it, why not share the episodewith a friend and ask them to
download it wherever they findtheir favorite shows this week's
bubble or trend in the midst ofa pandemic.
Many people have resorted togrocery delivery, certainly
Instacart.
(01:47):
And though it probably doesn'tapply in the Hudson Valley
Amazon's, uh, advertisement thatyou could have your food
delivered within two hours.
And then the little print in thecommercial is, you know, that
you're in a, uh, a larger city.
I don't think they're going tobe able to do it where I live in
(02:08):
Sullivan County.
Is it a bubble or is it a trendwhen we returned to normal?
Do people want to go back to, asI would say, browsing in the
supermarket, or is it going tobe the growth of other kinds of
food delivery, like HelloFresh,which gives you the entire meal
(02:29):
planned out for you?
So is it a bubble or a trend weask, but before we get to our
guests, let's ask my partner atpattern.
What's up, Joe, Hey Joe, we juststarted, uh, the beginning of
these working groups, uh, toaddress different issues in, uh,
(02:50):
uh, Hudson Valley.
As we begin to see our way pastthe pandemic, what comes to mind
as to some of the issues thatyou think we need to?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Well, one thing comes to mind as it always does.
Housing housing, housing priceshave clearly skyrocketed since
probably June or July of lastyear and every single County we
are seeing median prices go updrastically in Columbia County.
It's, it's going up by a hundredthousand dollars, uh, over, over
(03:20):
last year.
Um, so it is a huge issue.
Uh, it's not just the pricegoing up, but you know, the, the
other big, big concern is theeviction moratorium.
You know, let's say, um, it,it's a wonderful tool to keep
people protected and in place,but at some point the rank does
come due and we'll go ahead.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, but, but, but I think if we're going to make
this work in a way that'sbeneficial for the future of the
Hudson Valley, we have to almoststratify the housing market that
there is a need, and there is ademand at the high end that we
know that we could go to themiddle.
(04:00):
You know, we, you and I havealways thought that Montgomery
and orange County keeps growingand maybe they're in the middle
and we must pay attention to theneed for lower income housing.
That is a good place to live
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Well.
That's right.
And one thing we got to makesure of is that the local
municipality is ready for thehousing.
Do they want to grow?
We need to ask these questions.
Um, what, what are there, whatis a local capacity to grow?
Do they have water and sewer?
Are they ready for a little bitof an increased traffic pattern,
perhaps, you know, with housingchanging?
(04:37):
So does the use of the housingchange as remote work has picked
up over the last year and peoplemoving into homes are probably
going to be looking for officespace and exercise and
recreation space within thehouse.
So the challenge is the dynamicof that.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It does, it does, but let's stay with remote work for
a second here.
You and I both saw a piece onSunday morning, which is
suggesting that there is a newcalculus for where one should
want to live.
And, and the segment we saw wassuggesting that if you were to
(05:14):
factor in the issue of climatechange and remote work, then all
of a sudden what the computerspits out is places like
Madison, Wisconsin, orCleveland, Ohio, or here in New
York, Buffalo.
(05:34):
And I will argue the HudsonValley become places that are
highly desirable.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yeah.
Our, our North shore.
So to speak around the greatlakes becomes the new coast,
which, which is fabulous forthose cities.
You know, it's, it's cold and,and as long as you are, um,
appropriately clothed, you'll dofine.
But the Hudson Valley, um, thosestand out as, uh, you know, the
significantly less issue herewith climate change, does it
(06:03):
happen?
Do we have severe storms?
Yes.
But as compared to other placeswith extreme temperatures and
wildfires and droughts, andwe're, we're in a pretty good
spot, Hudson Valley is in apretty good spot,
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Right?
So that means that, you know,we're going to have to focus a
lot of attention on broadband.
And this is an issue thatinvolves the remote work.
It involves people working from,you know, from home at high
incomes.
It involves low-income peoplewhen they had to switch to
(06:41):
virtual learning and theycouldn't have access to
broadband.
Um, I think broadband is, is nowone of the, if not the most
important, broadly speakinginfrastructure, either
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It, it is.
And, and broadband, you know,globally speaking, are we
served?
Yes.
But the important part toanalyze is that last are we, are
we globally served?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I know you were breaking up a little bit there.
Okay.
Yeah,
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Yeah, exactly.
Wait, wait.
Oh yeah.
So you have to look at what theyconsider the last mile and
that's the most important partof broadband is how do you get
that fiber cable to the lasthouse on the block?
And in rural areas, it's a bigconcern, but without it, we're
going to be behind, we'redefinitely going to fall behind.
(07:33):
So we need to look at the issue,get ahead of the issue and make
these changes now.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, so housing, broad ban, um, remote work, uh,
uh, work, which, which let's goone step over in the spectrum of
, uh, work to work force.
We have got to think about theworkforce in the Hudson Valley
very differently,
Speaker 3 (07:57):
For sure.
You know, the Hudson Valley hasalways looked at, you know,
tourism and accommodations andentertainment as, as a, as a big
sector.
It's a big employer here.
Of course, we all know that avast majority of those jobs
don't pay a living wage rate.
So with that sort of exposedduring COVID, we've got to
analyze that and take a look atit and say, what are the other
(08:20):
jobs, um, that, that we can havehere in the Hudson Valley.
And also, how do we, I hate touse this term because it's
overused so much, but how do wepivot from someone who's working
in tourism or the hospitalitysection into a different type of
job that may and hopefully wouldpay a higher wage?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, and, and I would say that with regard to
tourism hospitality, therestaurant industry, they are
part of the amenities that makethe Hudson Valley a great place
to live, work and play.
So we have to figure out maybe abetter way to look at it is how
(09:00):
do we ensure that there arecareer paths in those sectors so
that people can get to higherpaying jobs and enjoy a better
quality of life because theywere among the hardest hit
during COVID and you have towonder build back better in
those sectors.
(09:21):
Well, okay.
Yes, we want them to come back,but they've got to have a higher
wage.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
They do.
And that's why it's reallyimportant when, when we're
pulling together our economicdevelopment officials, that our
workforce development officials,and we're starting to, to
understand how those are sosynergistic and how it's so
important that they talk to oneanother, as we're pivoting from
one industry sector to anotherand career paths from one to
(09:50):
another.
Um, but the other, the otherimportant element of workforce
to understand COVID or non COVIDis the fact that we're losing a
big segment of the population inservices like water and sewer
operators.
And I think it's reallyimportant that people understand
the things that you count onevery day of turning on your
(10:11):
faucet or flushing your toilet.
Somebody at the other end, or atthe beginning of that end is
taking care of that issue.
And as those folks are lookingto retire, it's institutional
knowledge that could go away andwe need to make sure that that
stays.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
And, and I think that you've hit upon a really good
point, which is as the boomersstart to age out their
retirements among nurses, theirretirements among teachers,
their retirements in everysector.
And we need to figure out whatwe're going to do to, uh,
backfill.
(10:46):
And where's the bench straincoming from for a lot of these,
uh, positions.
And so I think, um, we're goingto return to this issue many
times over the course of thisyear, and as always, Joe, thanks
for your insights.
And now let me introduce ourguests.
Thank you, JD, uh, Mary StuartMasterson, what a pleasure to
(11:09):
have her join us?
Well, many of you know her forher film career, we at pattern
appreciate and know her for herefforts to amplify the film and
television industry in theHudson Valley.
Her two ventures, stockade worksin Kingston and upper river
studios in Socrates, both inUlster County here in the Hudson
(11:31):
Valley are Mary Stuart's effortto create sustainable jobs in
the production side of the filmindustry.
We are pleased that, uh, she'skind of be with us for the next
40 minutes to talk, not justabout what she's working on and
how she's trying to, uh, assistthe economy with better paying
(11:52):
jobs here in the Hudson Valley,
Speaker 4 (11:54):
But in a very creative way, but also the
disruption that has occurred tothe film industry and what may
come next, Mary Stuart, how areyou doing?
And, and how has almost, it'sincredible to seem it's almost a
year now of living with COVID.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Well, um, fortunately I haven't personally been living
with COVID directly, so I'vebeen very lucky.
I feel very lucky that, um, noneof my family has been sick.
Um, but yeah, no, it's been areally intense period of time
and I've been, um, you know,trying to count my blessings
(12:33):
here.
I have four kids and I'mhomeschooling them right now and
a donkey and a puppy andbunnies.
And, you know, it's, there's alot and there's no break.
There's no let up.
So with all that going on, um,you know, trying to eke out time
to also work, uh, on stockadeworks and up river studios,
(12:55):
which, you know, I know we'lltalk about in a second, it's
been, it's been challenging.
It's like, you know, hide in thecloset, um, hide in the
bathroom, hiding your minivan tolike have a zoom conference
call, you know, um, yeah, it's,it's been an intense time and of
course, you know, film andtelevision production completely
(13:17):
shut down for a while there.
And that was, and has been, um,you know, just a personal
challenge, you know, uh, as a,as a multihyphenate person, I,
you know, it's, it's, it's very,it's very challenging, um, for
artists and makers, um, whorequire people to gather to
(13:40):
watch them or, um, or evengathered to film.
So it it's, um, things arecoming back, but it's been
challenging
Speaker 4 (13:49):
And, and we'll, I think we'll get into each level
of that.
Um, so obviously you've had a,you know, a very interesting
career as an actress andinvolved in the film industry,
but the reason we wanted to talkto you today is because of your
efforts to bring that industryto the Hudson Valley.
(14:13):
So let me just start, how didyou find us in the first place?
Um, did you, you didn't grow upin the Hudson Valley?
Speaker 5 (14:20):
No, I grew up in New York city, uh, the, the child of
two, um, actors and, uh,teachers writers people of the
theater.
And, um, we did venture out ofthe city on occasion, but, um,
uh, and you know, it's not likeI, I hadn't been out of, out of
(14:41):
even the Westchester area or theimmediate surroundings of the
city.
Um, but it was in 2006 when I,um, was going to direct my first
feature film, uh, which isreally what I wanted to focus
most on.
I, um, I looked for locations upin the Hudson Valley because it
(15:05):
just seemed like a better fitwith the material.
Um, and I've found CatskillHudson, um, Hudson, which was
really just in its first wave ofits own Renaissance, um, and, uh
, bought a house and actually,um, you know, settled down, down
(15:28):
in the Hudson Valley back in2006, because I had made a film
here and it was so, uh,obviously cinematically.
Um, it was so beautiful and, um,and also just varied in its, uh,
and it's, um, you know, cultureand also it was cultural, rich.
(15:51):
It was also rural.
It was, it also had, you know,these little cities of Hudson
Poughkeepsie, Kingston, uh, andit sort of had everything and,
and then the river itself, and Igrew up, like I said, in, in
Manhattan and the place I wouldgo hang out was the metropolitan
museum of art because it, uh,you know, uh, my parents were in
(16:12):
the theater and I just had tofigure out how occupy myself.
So at a certain age, I would goto the mat all the time and
wander into the, um, and wing,you know, and there were all
those amazing, uh, Fredericchurch things and Thomas Cole
paintings and, you know, livingup in the Hudson Valley, I'm
looking at that painting everyday.
(16:33):
And, um, so yeah, I reallypretty much fell in love with
the land escape, um, back in2006.
And then in 2013, uh, when I hadmy fourth child within three and
a half years, I, uh, I could notbe in the city and up in a
(16:53):
country.
I just couldn't manage itanymore.
I really couldn't afford itanymore.
So I, um, I sold both the housethat I had purchased in the
country and the place in thecity and moved to Duchess County
, um, which is sort of in themiddle cause I had been in
Northern Columbia County.
So, um, yeah, that's when I camehere full time and, uh, it is,
(17:16):
it has been, um, reallyextraordinary to be able to
raise my kids here.
And that's in part why, um, whyI found it stockade works, the
nonprofit that's focused onworkforce development and
training, um, which focuses andprioritizes access and inclusion
(17:37):
and ethnically and raciallydiverse, um, people if possible.
Um, and, and the focus of mylife became, um, nurturing the
place that was going to nurtureme and my kids.
Um, uh, and I really wanted togrow deeper roots in the Hudson
Valley and maybe bringopportunity to the place that
(18:00):
was, um, giving me so much atthis stage in my life.
So, um, in 2016, I foundedstockade works, um, in order to
really build the crew capacitylocally.
And by that, I mean, you know,all the people who work on the
set, like the 80 to 150 peoplewho get jobs, doing bizarre
(18:26):
things, it's a big thing,
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Right.
As a movie fan.
It's the thing that I alwayslook at at the very end that
seems to go very quickly andthere's like a hundred or 200
names of people, but those arereally good jobs.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
There are great jobs.
And, you know, I mean, I guessthey're classified as middle
skill jobs.
And, uh, you know, there are alot of people who have
transferable skills.
Um, maybe they, uh, graduatedfrom both CS and no, um, having
an OSHA certification in, in,uh, you know, something
electrical or, or welding ormechanics or something.
(19:02):
And, and they can actuallytransfer those skills with a
stock aid works training to beready to go on set and, uh, work
on a movie or a TV show andeventually join the union.
That's where the real upside is.
And I can tell you right now ingetting back to COVID, if I
didn't have membership in theunions that I'm in, I wouldn't
(19:23):
have health insurance.
I wouldn't, I'd be so out ofluck.
Right.
So it's really for, for peoplewho work in our industry, um,
it's the way to really have a,you know, a real career and be
on a career pathway rather thanbe just gig to gig.
And, um, so yeah, so stockadeworks is there and is designed
(19:44):
to identify for people whatskills they already have, and
then also give them training inthe areas that they're
interested in, um, and thenprovide mentorship after the
training and referrals to jobs.
And meanwhile, you know, alsotrying to attract those
productions to the region sothat there are jobs for those
(20:05):
people we've trained.
And, uh, so the whole idea, um,in, in stockade works and up
river studios was to create, um,a new media ecosystem for the
Hudson Valley, um, building onwhat was already here, um, you
know, a robust, independent film, um, business, you know, and,
(20:32):
and the wonderful work at theWoodstock film festival, you
know, for years nurturing, um,the cinephile and the
independent, um, filmmakers ofthe world, and really my thought
to scale it so that we couldcreate more economic development
, um, from television shows, uh,that might stay longer, employ
(20:56):
more people and really help theeconomy.
Uh, and as, as I started to domore of this, I thought, okay,
so an ecosystem needs trainingand it needs facilities to be
scaled and it needs more locallyproduced content.
So all of those things have beenthe, the sort of three facets of
this ecosystem that I've beenfocusing on.
(21:17):
And the first was the trainingwas stock aid works.
The second was up river studios,which is just now opening and
Saugerties.
And the third was just my ownproduction company that I'm
finally getting back to thething that I'm re you know,
really that I really want to bedoing creatively, which is
writing, directing, producing,and acting.
(21:39):
Um, so that's, uh, you know, thethird facet, which is, um, uh,
quality pictures, my productioncompany.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
So, um, stockade works is the first one.
How'd you get the name?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Uh, you know, uh, the Scott, the stockade district and
, uh, in Kingston.
Yeah.
And then later I thought, well,the stock K that could have
negative connotations, but, youknow, I was just, I was thinking
hyper-local and, um, you know,we're going to break, we're
going to break free of theshackles of our, uh, limitations
that have been imposed upon usand, uh, and break free from the
(22:18):
stockade of our own, you know, Idon't know.
Yeah.
It, it, it's, that's how we gotthe name.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
All right.
But then you go, you go fromKingston to sororities and what
it was, the evolution ofstockade works to say, the next
thing we need is what, describewhat up river.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
So, um, so stockade works, you know, the training
mentoring, um, the not it's anot-for-profit up river studios
is a sort of phase two of theecosystem and this idea, and it
is 104,000 square foot, um,space that is, uh, soundstage,
(23:02):
um, offices post-productionsuites and the spaces that
support filming of a, of acertain scale.
So, um, you can film anindependent movie out of a
minivan and your aunt Bessie'shouse, and right, we can do
this, what we love to do.
If you're doing a TV show andit's going to be there for
(23:23):
years, you really need a lot ofsets and you need to be, you
need twice, sometimes threetimes as much support space,
meaning space to store props andwardrobe and space to have, uh,
the next episodes of directordoing their prep and the last
(23:44):
episodes director editing orwrapping out of his episode or
her episode.
And then you need the currentepisode team to be working.
And then all of this requiresthat you have, uh, you know,
also dressing rooms and hair andmakeup, Swedes, all the, all the
things that, that, uh, need tobe a little needed, a little bit
(24:06):
more space than, um, than anindependent movie.
And so, uh, we, we have a verylarge facility and, um, the, the
reason Saugerties, um, I loveSaugerties.
Uh, I just wanted to make sureit was somewhere between Hudson
Kingston and Poughkeepsie, um,because, um, our friends down in
(24:28):
Newburgh have Umbra and they'redoing a terrific job down there,
but we really wanted to sort ofserve this Delta of these, these
cities a little bit further upthe river, hence the name up
river.
And, um, you know, we're reallytrying to, uh, make sure that,
(24:49):
uh, production feels like it haseverything it needs every time a
producer is looking for a placeto land a bigger project.
The first question they ask is,is there crew?
And the next question is, arethere stages, or are there
hotels, or, you know, the thingsthat they need to put their crew
, uh, you know, in the location,in our case, we've built the
(25:13):
crew with stockade works alittle bit more than what it was
when we were first here, but getthis process by in, by several
hundred and then COVID happened.
And, um, you know, we were justabout to swing hammers at up
river studios to begin the upfitof this facility.
(25:35):
And they sh we got shut downliterally the Friday before the
Monday, we were shut down and,you know, um, there was, there
was a collective, um, holdingour breath for a minute.
Like, what the heck have we donehere?
And then, you know, you know,our, our cooler minds prevailed
(25:56):
and we realized that actually,um, actually people need more
space than ever, and they needto be able to spread out more
because they need to cycle crewthrough and on and off of the
set more than they used to.
It used to be, everybody's sortof crowd in one room jam
(26:17):
together, and the actors wouldwalk through that and do the
scene and walk back through thatcrowd of people, to their
dressing room or, or, um,trailer, whatever.
And now you have to work indifferent, uh, access zones.
So it's almost like, uh, like abackstage pass, right?
The people who have the allaccess pass are the people who
(26:38):
are in close contact with theactors, and they're tested more
frequently and have certain, uh,almost like a, almost like a
pod.
Right?
Yeah.
And then, um, other departments,let's say the people who are go
in before, um, the actors likethe set decorator, and usually
(27:01):
the set decorator worksalongside, but they have to work
separately in sequence.
Now you have to sort of dressthe set.
Here's your, here's your clock.
Here's that picture on the wall,check it with camera,
everybody's wearing shields andmasks.
And then those people leave andhave to be well away from the
set before the actors come in.
(27:21):
And so, uh, so different groups,uh, different departments are
allowed on set at differenttimes and need to clear out and
go somewhere else.
Right.
And then those people need to besocially distant from other crew
members.
So you actually need quite a bitmore space to sort of cycle
everybody through, uh, feed them, uh, keep them offset, bring
(27:45):
them onset it it's, it's, it's,um, rambling, but it, it is, it
is requires more space.
And, um, so it's worked in ourfavor in essence, because all
the soundstages in the city,we're already at capacity and
they're building more right now.
(28:05):
Uh, but we knew that there was ademand.
We knew that television ishaving its platinum age.
We all know the streamers arekilling it, uh, but also, um, uh
, content, every studio is, um,making content for any platform.
So, um, you know, you mightthink a and E only makes, you
(28:28):
know, a show for a and E, but aand E studios could sell to
Netflix, Amazon Hulu, or put iton a and E.
So everybody's in the studiobusiness, everybody's in the
streaming business now, andeverybody is just dying to make
content because there's such ademand for it now more than
(28:49):
ever.
And because of the shutdown,there's a pent up demand.
And so that also was going towork in our favor.
We felt because, um, we thought,well, when it opens up and when
we finish construction, there isa demand and we will, we will
end up having a large show, cometo our stages.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
All right.
So take a breath there for amoment.
And let's just, let me just beclear, um, being home, working
remotely, it just seems likethere is endless things being
streamed at the moment where didall that come from?
(29:30):
If so many places are shut down,is there an inventory of gee
we're about to release the nextseries or something, but every
time I look at yeah.
Here's another thing that we'reabout to premiere.
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Well, in fact, um, yes, yes and no.
Um, there was a big pipeline ofproductions that had been either
finished or mostly finished thatmight've been shut down that
maybe just needed to, uh, tofilm the last couple of
episodes, let's say.
And so they did a ton ofpost-production on all the, all
(30:08):
the work that was in the can and, um, staggered the release of
these, these shows.
Um, and yeah, and then when itstarted to come back, when, uh,
production opened up again, itwas largely a lot of shows, um,
moved to, um, to Eastern Europe.
(30:31):
Some people went to New Zealand,a lot of shows, went to Canada,
uh, because they had really goodquarantine rules and, uh, very
low case numbers.
And, and it was the picklereally was how will, uh, the
insurance, uh, work?
(30:53):
You, you have to have insuranceon a production, right.
Um, if you're, uh, you can't geta bond or get your production
insured, if nobody knows who'sresponsible for, for a COVID
shutdown.
Sure.
Right.
So that was a big, that was abig, um, question for months.
And, uh, Netflix, you mentioned,um, Netflix, for example.
(31:16):
Self-insured so they were like,
Speaker 4 (31:18):
They're so big.
Okay.
Yeah.
So
Speaker 5 (31:21):
They could continue working.
Um, however, um, however theycould, and really it's, I've
been really impressed with howthe film and television industry
has, has really made it workbecause they knew that they had
to work with some people withoutmasks, because after time to
(31:44):
work without masks, they knewthey had to get it.
Right.
They couldn't just say, okay,everybody PP E and you know,
cover, cover yourselves up.
That's true for the crew, butwhat about the actors and how do
you make it safe for the actors?
So when you have to solve thatproblem, when everything has to
solve for that problem, you, youend up solving a whole bunch of
(32:05):
other problems.
Right.
So, um, how do you test, do yourapid test do, I mean, what the
whole thing?
So every show has its own littletesting room and, uh, uh, uh,
testing service.
And they have a certain numberof tests per week per
department, more for people whoare in that all access pass
(32:26):
zone, right?
The people that were closest tothe actors as an actor, you
might come in and test, uh, 48hours before you even come in
for a fitting.
Um, and even in a fitting you'rewearing a, um, then you have to
test the night before and you doa rapid test the morning of, um,
(32:48):
before you even go to hair andmakeup.
So they have ways of, you know,in thermal checks also before
you even go into your test.
So, uh, they, they test a ton.
The biggest cost to productionwith all of this really has been
all the testing.
Um, and the rapid testing is, isbringing that cost way down so
(33:09):
that they can continue toproduce.
But yeah, there's going to comea time if, if there are more
shutdowns where it will slowdown during the beginning of
COVID, there was a huge, um,uptick in development, um, which
is basically people writing,pitching, getting their projects
bought, and then, you know,developed, uh, through
(33:35):
pre-production getting ready toshoot and development includes
writing.
Uh, it includes casting, allthose things you can do before
you actually go into productionitself.
And so there was, there was avery active development season
because it was March and peoplenormally would be doing pilots.
And that whole, uh, that wholebreakneck TV, um, time of year
(34:02):
slowed so far down, that peoplehad time on their hands.
And they were able to reallythink about, um, some of those
projects that were at the bottomof the pile that nobody had even
read that were terrific.
So it was actually many peopletalked about feeling very, like,
it was a very fertile time withlots of good ideas and
interesting material coming tothe fore.
(34:25):
Um, and so that, that was, thatwas good.
And then things went intoproduction, some got shut down
and came back.
I think things are cranking backup and it's, um, it has been
very, um, very successful as, asan industry at working through
(34:47):
the pandemic.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
So like every other sector there's going to be
disruption.
And for me, disruption is a,it's not disrupting like the
production of something.
It's a good thing.
Disrupting means it causes youto rethink how you were doing
something.
Um, my, I am a huge movie fan.
(35:08):
I love going to the movietheater, but it seems as if my
movie theaters might be in periland, you know, with what are two
recent examples were like wonderwoman and the new Denzel
Washington movie whereby theagreements for how long it's in
the movie theater and before itgets onto, you know, pay per
(35:31):
view and then HBO or whatever.
Um, do you think we're goingback to movie theaters the way
they were or what's?
Speaker 5 (35:41):
No, it's interesting.
It's a good question.
You ask.
And I think prior to COVID, um,box office had dwindled quite a
bit, except for those tentpoleproductions, those, those Marvel
movies, you know, that you justalways want to see the theater,
3d movies or whatever, um, ordate night horror movies.
That's, that's the strangestthing to me anyway, but like,
(36:01):
whatever.
Um, but I think that, um, Yyou've never wanted to do scream
or something.
I, I, listen, I would, I woulddo it.
I would not watch it.
I get, I get so absurdly scaredat horror movies that I, they ha
they literally haunt me.
I'm too sensitive.
Um, but, but my point is that,um, I think prior to COVID,
(36:24):
there was already, um, a realproblem at the box office.
And many, many times films wouldbe released in the theater that
weren't those big, hugeblockbusters, right.
Just to qualify for Academy,consideration or awards
consideration just would have tojust the minimum number of
weeks.
Now, there's an, there's anexception for this year.
(36:47):
I don't think that will go away.
I know that those films will,will come back to upstate films
and they will come back to ourart house cinemas.
And those films will be intheaters.
But I think regardless, but Ithink we're going to actually
want to go back to the theater.
I think we're going to be sohungry for that experience that
(37:09):
I imagine that it will actuallybounce back more than
anticipated.
That's my guess.
But in terms of like your, your,your original question, they
will have to be in theaters toqualify.
I think there is a, a naturaland healthy relationship between
the exhibitors and, you know,uh, the Academy and those, those
(37:32):
entities.
So, because it's, it's, uh, it's, um, it's a whole sector, uh,
both theatrical release of filmsand also theaters like Broadway
and, um, and, and dance andeverything else.
Uh, I, I'm very concerned abouttheir health and wellness going
(37:54):
forward and the need for realeconomic help.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
So, um, let's pretend that we're eventually have COVID
in the pandemic in our rearview, mirror and life is back
to, you know, just like your flushot.
You just get your shot once ayear, but you're not wearing a
mask every day.
Are there changes to the filmindustry that either you wanted
(38:25):
to see that have now have anopportunity to happen, or
they're just changes that havehappened that, um, maybe weren't
your idea, per se, but, um,there, the way in which movies
are made or television shows aremade, is it going to change?
Speaker 5 (38:42):
You know, it's funny because when it first happened,
I thought maybe this is finallythe time that people will look
at the, um, insane way that wego about production, um, and,
and change it slightly.
And by that, I mean, um, theaverage Workday, the average
work week on a show shooting inthe city for example, is like,
(39:06):
you know, 75, 80 hours, that's,you know, full-time equivalent,
that's two plus.
So, um, that, that is that'scrazy.
And also not that productive.
So if you're making art, it'snot like, you know, art by the
pound, right?
It's, it's it, you need to berested and have ultimate, proper
(39:29):
cognitive function and have allthe cylinders burning.
And you also can achieve quite abit more in less shooting time.
If you have more time to sleepat night and prepare for your
next day, both from the actingstandpoint, the directing
standpoint, the crew,everything.
And so, um, there is somethingcalled French hours that I'm,
I'm a real fan of, which is sortof a straight eight hour day.
(39:53):
And instead of, you know, theactors get there at five in the
morning, the crew gets there atseven and you shoot till seven,
and then the Teamsters go homeat nine.
And you know, this ridiculousday.
So usually a 20 hour dayinstead, it means like within 10
hours you arrive at work.
And the last person is off theset by within 10 hours.
(40:16):
And the actors are well rested.
You have one meal at the end ofthe day, not in the middle of
the day that people in France,the reason they call it French
hours, they would start work foreight hours and have a big meal
with the crew, with wine andfood.
And everybody would have thistremendous, a spree decor and go
(40:37):
home.
And it would be a very, um, richexperience.
Um, that is so not American.
So not like Mo you know, mostproductive, but it actually is
you can actually get the sameamount of work done.
And so I thought, Oh, this isgoing to happen.
And people were talking about itas a way to optimize people's
(40:59):
immune function.
And, um, and that, that, youknow, you wouldn't have people
touching food all day long onthe craft service table, or sit
at lunch in the middle of theday.
You need a huge meal and thenget all tired, um, expose
themselves to each other, um, interms of like eating too close
(41:21):
together and stuff like that.
So there was talk of it atfirst, what it was, what their
work around was instead ofFrench hours, uh, they
eliminated lunch so that youwould have to give your, uh, you
would have a menu and that youwould receive in the morning and
you'd, you would have to hand itin by a certain time and your
(41:42):
lunch sort of almost deliveredto you wherever you are.
And so it's more like take out.
And, um, and that's, that'sinteresting.
Um, you know, I think it wouldbe better to work, uh, shorter
hours, uh, and less, less weightbased, more focused time.
(42:05):
Uh, I would require that peopleare more prepared.
There are some things that arehappening on the set already as
a result of having to work inthis weird way.
I mentioned earlier, which is,um, you might have the camera
crew, uh, and th the DP, thecinematographer worked with the
(42:25):
director and really, reallycarefully designed exactly
what's going to be in the framealmost like you would in the
olden days, you know, before,before, uh, digital media and
you cause you'd have film and isexpensive.
So you would only shoot exactlywhat you need, and you would
only build the set for exactlywhat you were going to see.
(42:47):
And it was all very, very, verydesigned back in the MGM days.
You know, everything was verydesigned.
Um, we could use a little bitmore of that and not saying I'm
against a verite or working within a way that's, that's a little
loose and, and improvisational,but having better preparation,
(43:11):
especially on television showsis good for everyone involved.
It, it just makes for betterwork, um, more decisive work.
And, um, you know, as an actor,I think, you know, they, they're
supposed to be locking thescripts much earlier before
COVID, you might get a rewritewhile you're in the makeup
(43:32):
chair.
And it's like this law, a hugespeech.
And you're like, Oh my God, howam I going to do this?
Um, so that's good because theyhave to make sure it's prepared.
Uh, all departments have signedoff on it from COVID safety, uh,
uh, through that lens, you know,to think of it, is it safe?
(43:54):
Is it well planned out?
And, and so it does require thepeople are more prepared and in
a way that's, that's verypleasant.
Um, there are also fewer peopleon the set and, um, while you're
shooting, which is nice, it'sless distracted.
Um, you know, in terms of yourother question of whether you
(44:14):
could work with smaller crewsand those kinds of innovations,
some of those things areactually true and are already in
use on independent films andnon-union films.
Um, but in, in fact there mightbe, um, you need a deeper bench
(44:35):
if people are going to get sickand that sort of thing.
So you actually need to coveryourself in different ways now
with COVID than you used to,
Speaker 4 (44:44):
Um, help me understand a couple of economic
questions.
So first, um, I think you said,you know, doing a TV show or
series, and I've been told, um,so I have no authority on this
that the, you know, if you canget a television show, that's
(45:04):
the home run to be producedbecause it's there, you're a
couple of hopefully, you know,kits renewed.
But no, I think, I think thewalking dead is an example in
Atlanta if I have it right,Georgia.
Okay.
So that, you know, it was like along run and it produced, why
(45:24):
are they so important to landone of those it's obviously much
longer in duration than a movie,but what makes it some of the,
what makes it different than amovie?
Speaker 5 (45:38):
Well, um, mostly it is duration.
It's also, um, when it's a TVseries, you know, people tend to
make their home where they'refilming.
And as you know, um, you know,when you live somewhere, you're,
you're paying taxes and your,um, your kids might go to school
(45:59):
there, your whole family isthere, you know, it's, it's,
it's more than a person jobbingin and sleeping on someone's
couch for a couple of months andthen going back where they're
from.
Um, so there's something that,that just does.
Um, you know, there, there'sdefinitely, um, studies out on
(46:20):
the multiplier effect of, um,production, uh, long-term
production, like a TV series.
Um, I, I think mostly it'sduration TV is the order of 13
or in, in a network show over 20episodes of television is, is
(46:40):
like, um, you know, 10 movies.
Okay.
You know, that's like doing 10movies a year, so it's such a
different order of magnitude,um, that it, it, uh, it's just
hard to even, um, believe.
Um, also, um, you know, ifyou're in a place longer on a TV
(47:03):
series, you, you do have to havemore sets built because of
weather.
And because it just, for, forease of filming, if you're going
to be at the person's house 10times in a, in, in an episode,
you might as well build the setand control the light and
control the weather and come inand out of it as you please, um,
(47:23):
and own it, right?
The person's house that youshoot when you, they come out on
the lawn and up the paper in themorning and that scene, yeah,
you shoot that on location, butthe whole interior of the house
is going to be on a soundstage.
Um, the show I was doing lastyear called for life that is, uh
, in New York city, it's aprison show.
(47:44):
There's 17 sets.
They shoot on location thismuch, you know, like a, a day.
And then the rest of the eightto nine days of an episode are
all on the soundstage.
Speaker 4 (47:57):
Have you thought, is there a dream of, uh, in your,
you know, in your imagination ofa TV series that you could do it
up river or somewhere in theHudson Valley?
I mean, I know have you thoughtabout what it would be?
Speaker 5 (48:13):
I have a lot of ideas, you know, I still have to
like everyone else try to sellmy, sell my work.
Um, and you know, I have a few,a few projects that are out
there going we're pitching and,and try and get set up.
Um, and, but I run tickly.
I'm pretty sure.
Um, I will be the last person towork at upriver because, you
(48:37):
know, we'll, we'll have a showin there and, um, I doubt, um,
I'll get the call to be in it.
So I'll just, I'll just begrateful that, that there is a
show in town and, um, yeah, and,and then I've written a feature,
um, that needs a soundstage.
So maybe, maybe the, let usshoot there between, uh, between
(48:59):
seasons of someone else's show.
Um, but yeah, it it's, it wouldbe, it would be great if I could
do that.
That would be really fun.
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Um, all right.
Well, let me, when I last sawyou, it was just before COVID
and you made this passing remarkto me in which you said it would
be great if we could get a, alittle snip of people who have
filmed in other places outsideof the Hudson Valley.
(49:32):
And they could just say, I wishI could be filming in the Hudson
Valley.
I think, I think I got that.
Right.
And so is that a project?
Is that a project we could do asa fitting way to come out of
COVID then, you know, as amarketing piece to try to, and
(49:54):
what would it look like?
And, you know, cause I, I, itmay have just been an off the
cuff remark, but
Speaker 5 (50:00):
Oh, it's definitely something that's in the works.
Um, this idea that, um, youknow, people in, in various
locations filming who actuallylive in the Hudson Valley would
say that, you know, they'drather be shooting that they'd
rather be filming in the HudsonValley.
Um, but we actually have otherother plans with the, with
hashtags and this and that, thatwe're planning to sort of launch
(50:23):
, uh, soon.
And, um, I'm not at Liberty toshare because it's, everything's
a group think, um, situation.
But, um, but I, I, I guess Ithink you're absolutely right.
Um, definitely need to promoteit as a region.
Um, but I, I, I think it's doingpretty well.
Like the Hudson Valley is likethe hottest real estate market
(50:45):
in the country.
Um, coming up here, there's alot of crew who actually
relocated up here because theyweren't working in the city.
Speaker 4 (50:54):
Oh, you mean specifically within the film
industry, this, this, um, group.
Speaker 5 (51:02):
Yeah.
And, and so people reach out andsay, Oh my gosh, I heard you're
doing this thing.
Do you think there's any way I'mlike, yeah, there is going to be
a way.
So, um, soon we're, we'renegotiating right now with a big
show and we're hoping that, uh,at, at upriver and we're hoping
that it goes forward.
And if it does, that would be,you know, uh, they would be
(51:24):
moving in, in, in March and, uh,shooting in the spring and
summer and through the winter.
And so that would be, that'd befantastic if that happens.
Speaker 4 (51:36):
All right.
Mary Stuart Masterson, thank youso much for, for finding your
way to the, you know, the HudsonValley for stockade works for
your vision for up river.
Um, and let's hope that you canrealize all these dreams as soon
(51:57):
as possible.
So thanks.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
Thank you so much.
What a pleasure to talk to you.
Thank you for tuning in topatterns,
Speaker 4 (52:03):
Paradigms the pattern podcast.
For more information about thisepisode, visit our website
pattern for progress.org forwardslash podcast.
(52:37):
[inaudible].
We are experiencing a paradigm shift, a fundamental
change in the way we usually dothings.
We are intentionally choosing tosee the silver lining
opportunity arises.
We can shine a light on thethings that weren't working well
(00:25):
on those things that weren'treally working at all, we can
regroup reevaluate andre-engineer it's time to explore
new patterns and paradigms thosethat inspire us to rise above
the chaos and explore how theconditions of today and take us
(00:47):
to a better tomorrow patternsand paradigms the pattern
podcast from Hudson Valleypattern for progress.
You're listening to season two,episode four, film production
and job creation with your hostpattern, president and CEO,
Jonathan Dropkin.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Hi everyone.
And welcome to this week'sepisode of patterns and
paradigms.
Today, we will be joined by theactor and director and so much
more Mary Stuart Masterson.
We're just a great conversationabout the film industry and what
she's been up to in her venturesin the Hudson Valley, please
(01:26):
remember to subscribe to ourpower podcast and if you enjoy
it, why not share the episodewith a friend and ask them to
download it wherever they findtheir favorite shows this week's
bubble or trend in the midst ofa pandemic.
Many people have resorted togrocery delivery, certainly
Instacart.
(01:47):
And though it probably doesn'tapply in the Hudson Valley
Amazon's, uh, advertisement thatyou could have your food
delivered within two hours.
And then the little print in thecommercial is, you know, that
you're in a, uh, a larger city.
I don't think they're going tobe able to do it where I live in
(02:08):
Sullivan County.
Is it a bubble or is it a trendwhen we returned to normal?
Do people want to go back to, asI would say, browsing in the
supermarket, or is it going tobe the growth of other kinds of
food delivery, like HelloFresh,which gives you the entire meal
(02:29):
planned out for you?
So is it a bubble or a trend weask, but before we get to our
guests, let's ask my partner atpattern.
What's up, Joe, Hey Joe, we juststarted, uh, the beginning of
these working groups, uh, toaddress different issues in, uh,
(02:50):
uh, Hudson Valley.
As we begin to see our way pastthe pandemic, what comes to mind
as to some of the issues thatyou think we need to?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Well, one thing comes to mind as it always does.
Housing housing, housing priceshave clearly skyrocketed since
probably June or July of lastyear and every single County we
are seeing median prices go updrastically in Columbia County.
It's, it's going up by a hundredthousand dollars, uh, over, over
(03:20):
last year.
Um, so it is a huge issue.
Uh, it's not just the pricegoing up, but you know, the, the
other big, big concern is theeviction moratorium.
You know, let's say, um, it,it's a wonderful tool to keep
people protected and in place,but at some point the rank does
come due and we'll go ahead.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, but, but, but I think if we're going to make
this work in a way that'sbeneficial for the future of the
Hudson Valley, we have to almoststratify the housing market that
there is a need, and there is ademand at the high end that we
know that we could go to themiddle.
(04:00):
You know, we, you and I havealways thought that Montgomery
and orange County keeps growingand maybe they're in the middle
and we must pay attention to theneed for lower income housing.
That is a good place to live
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Well.
That's right.
And one thing we got to makesure of is that the local
municipality is ready for thehousing.
Do they want to grow?
We need to ask these questions.
Um, what, what are there, whatis a local capacity to grow?
Do they have water and sewer?
Are they ready for a little bitof an increased traffic pattern,
perhaps, you know, with housingchanging?
(04:37):
So does the use of the housingchange as remote work has picked
up over the last year and peoplemoving into homes are probably
going to be looking for officespace and exercise and
recreation space within thehouse.
So the challenge is the dynamicof that.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It does, it does, but let's stay with remote work for
a second here.
You and I both saw a piece onSunday morning, which is
suggesting that there is a newcalculus for where one should
want to live.
And, and the segment we saw wassuggesting that if you were to
(05:14):
factor in the issue of climatechange and remote work, then all
of a sudden what the computerspits out is places like
Madison, Wisconsin, orCleveland, Ohio, or here in New
York, Buffalo.
(05:34):
And I will argue the HudsonValley become places that are
highly desirable.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yeah.
Our, our North shore.
So to speak around the greatlakes becomes the new coast,
which, which is fabulous forthose cities.
You know, it's, it's cold and,and as long as you are, um,
appropriately clothed, you'll dofine.
But the Hudson Valley, um, thosestand out as, uh, you know, the
significantly less issue herewith climate change, does it
(06:03):
happen?
Do we have severe storms?
Yes.
But as compared to other placeswith extreme temperatures and
wildfires and droughts, andwe're, we're in a pretty good
spot, Hudson Valley is in apretty good spot,
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Right?
So that means that, you know,we're going to have to focus a
lot of attention on broadband.
And this is an issue thatinvolves the remote work.
It involves people working from,you know, from home at high
incomes.
It involves low-income peoplewhen they had to switch to
(06:41):
virtual learning and theycouldn't have access to
broadband.
Um, I think broadband is, is nowone of the, if not the most
important, broadly speakinginfrastructure, either
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It, it is.
And, and broadband, you know,globally speaking, are we
served?
Yes.
But the important part toanalyze is that last are we, are
we globally served?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I know you were breaking up a little bit there.
Okay.
Yeah,
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Yeah, exactly.
Wait, wait.
Oh yeah.
So you have to look at what theyconsider the last mile and
that's the most important partof broadband is how do you get
that fiber cable to the lasthouse on the block?
And in rural areas, it's a bigconcern, but without it, we're
going to be behind, we'redefinitely going to fall behind.
(07:33):
So we need to look at the issue,get ahead of the issue and make
these changes now.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, so housing, broad ban, um, remote work, uh,
uh, work, which, which let's goone step over in the spectrum of
, uh, work to work force.
We have got to think about theworkforce in the Hudson Valley
very differently,
Speaker 3 (07:57):
For sure.
You know, the Hudson Valley hasalways looked at, you know,
tourism and accommodations andentertainment as, as a, as a big
sector.
It's a big employer here.
Of course, we all know that avast majority of those jobs
don't pay a living wage rate.
So with that sort of exposedduring COVID, we've got to
analyze that and take a look atit and say, what are the other
(08:20):
jobs, um, that, that we can havehere in the Hudson Valley.
And also, how do we, I hate touse this term because it's
overused so much, but how do wepivot from someone who's working
in tourism or the hospitalitysection into a different type of
job that may and hopefully wouldpay a higher wage?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, and, and I would say that with regard to
tourism hospitality, therestaurant industry, they are
part of the amenities that makethe Hudson Valley a great place
to live, work and play.
So we have to figure out maybe abetter way to look at it is how
(09:00):
do we ensure that there arecareer paths in those sectors so
that people can get to higherpaying jobs and enjoy a better
quality of life because theywere among the hardest hit
during COVID and you have towonder build back better in
those sectors.
(09:21):
Well, okay.
Yes, we want them to come back,but they've got to have a higher
wage.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
They do.
And that's why it's reallyimportant when, when we're
pulling together our economicdevelopment officials, that our
workforce development officials,and we're starting to, to
understand how those are sosynergistic and how it's so
important that they talk to oneanother, as we're pivoting from
one industry sector to anotherand career paths from one to
(09:50):
another.
Um, but the other, the otherimportant element of workforce
to understand COVID or non COVIDis the fact that we're losing a
big segment of the population inservices like water and sewer
operators.
And I think it's reallyimportant that people understand
the things that you count onevery day of turning on your
(10:11):
faucet or flushing your toilet.
Somebody at the other end, or atthe beginning of that end is
taking care of that issue.
And as those folks are lookingto retire, it's institutional
knowledge that could go away andwe need to make sure that that
stays.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
And, and I think that you've hit upon a really good
point, which is as the boomersstart to age out their
retirements among nurses, theirretirements among teachers,
their retirements in everysector.
And we need to figure out whatwe're going to do to, uh,
backfill.
(10:46):
And where's the bench straincoming from for a lot of these,
uh, positions.
And so I think, um, we're goingto return to this issue many
times over the course of thisyear, and as always, Joe, thanks
for your insights.
And now let me introduce ourguests.
Thank you, JD, uh, Mary StuartMasterson, what a pleasure to
(11:09):
have her join us?
Well, many of you know her forher film career, we at pattern
appreciate and know her for herefforts to amplify the film and
television industry in theHudson Valley.
Her two ventures, stockade worksin Kingston and upper river
studios in Socrates, both inUlster County here in the Hudson
(11:31):
Valley are Mary Stuart's effortto create sustainable jobs in
the production side of the filmindustry.
We are pleased that, uh, she'skind of be with us for the next
40 minutes to talk, not justabout what she's working on and
how she's trying to, uh, assistthe economy with better paying
(11:52):
jobs here in the Hudson Valley,
Speaker 4 (11:54):
But in a very creative way, but also the
disruption that has occurred tothe film industry and what may
come next, Mary Stuart, how areyou doing?
And, and how has almost, it'sincredible to seem it's almost a
year now of living with COVID.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Well, um, fortunately I haven't personally been living
with COVID directly, so I'vebeen very lucky.
I feel very lucky that, um, noneof my family has been sick.
Um, but yeah, no, it's been areally intense period of time
and I've been, um, you know,trying to count my blessings
(12:33):
here.
I have four kids and I'mhomeschooling them right now and
a donkey and a puppy andbunnies.
And, you know, it's, there's alot and there's no break.
There's no let up.
So with all that going on, um,you know, trying to eke out time
to also work, uh, on stockadeworks and up river studios,
(12:55):
which, you know, I know we'lltalk about in a second, it's
been, it's been challenging.
It's like, you know, hide in thecloset, um, hide in the
bathroom, hiding your minivan tolike have a zoom conference
call, you know, um, yeah, it's,it's been an intense time and of
course, you know, film andtelevision production completely
(13:17):
shut down for a while there.
And that was, and has been, um,you know, just a personal
challenge, you know, uh, as a,as a multihyphenate person, I,
you know, it's, it's, it's very,it's very challenging, um, for
artists and makers, um, whorequire people to gather to
(13:40):
watch them or, um, or evengathered to film.
So it it's, um, things arecoming back, but it's been
challenging
Speaker 4 (13:49):
And, and we'll, I think we'll get into each level
of that.
Um, so obviously you've had a,you know, a very interesting
career as an actress andinvolved in the film industry,
but the reason we wanted to talkto you today is because of your
efforts to bring that industryto the Hudson Valley.
(14:13):
So let me just start, how didyou find us in the first place?
Um, did you, you didn't grow upin the Hudson Valley?
Speaker 5 (14:20):
No, I grew up in New York city, uh, the, the child of
two, um, actors and, uh,teachers writers people of the
theater.
And, um, we did venture out ofthe city on occasion, but, um,
uh, and you know, it's not likeI, I hadn't been out of, out of
(14:41):
even the Westchester area or theimmediate surroundings of the
city.
Um, but it was in 2006 when I,um, was going to direct my first
feature film, uh, which isreally what I wanted to focus
most on.
I, um, I looked for locations upin the Hudson Valley because it
(15:05):
just seemed like a better fitwith the material.
Um, and I've found CatskillHudson, um, Hudson, which was
really just in its first wave ofits own Renaissance, um, and, uh
, bought a house and actually,um, you know, settled down, down
(15:28):
in the Hudson Valley back in2006, because I had made a film
here and it was so, uh,obviously cinematically.
Um, it was so beautiful and, um,and also just varied in its, uh,
and it's, um, you know, cultureand also it was cultural, rich.
(15:51):
It was also rural.
It was, it also had, you know,these little cities of Hudson
Poughkeepsie, Kingston, uh, andit sort of had everything and,
and then the river itself, and Igrew up, like I said, in, in
Manhattan and the place I wouldgo hang out was the metropolitan
museum of art because it, uh,you know, uh, my parents were in
(16:12):
the theater and I just had tofigure out how occupy myself.
So at a certain age, I would goto the mat all the time and
wander into the, um, and wing,you know, and there were all
those amazing, uh, Fredericchurch things and Thomas Cole
paintings and, you know, livingup in the Hudson Valley, I'm
looking at that painting everyday.
(16:33):
And, um, so yeah, I reallypretty much fell in love with
the land escape, um, back in2006.
And then in 2013, uh, when I hadmy fourth child within three and
a half years, I, uh, I could notbe in the city and up in a
(16:53):
country.
I just couldn't manage itanymore.
I really couldn't afford itanymore.
So I, um, I sold both the housethat I had purchased in the
country and the place in thecity and moved to Duchess County
, um, which is sort of in themiddle cause I had been in
Northern Columbia County.
So, um, yeah, that's when I camehere full time and, uh, it is,
(17:16):
it has been, um, reallyextraordinary to be able to
raise my kids here.
And that's in part why, um, whyI found it stockade works, the
nonprofit that's focused onworkforce development and
training, um, which focuses andprioritizes access and inclusion
(17:37):
and ethnically and raciallydiverse, um, people if possible.
Um, and, and the focus of mylife became, um, nurturing the
place that was going to nurtureme and my kids.
Um, uh, and I really wanted togrow deeper roots in the Hudson
Valley and maybe bringopportunity to the place that
(18:00):
was, um, giving me so much atthis stage in my life.
So, um, in 2016, I foundedstockade works, um, in order to
really build the crew capacitylocally.
And by that, I mean, you know,all the people who work on the
set, like the 80 to 150 peoplewho get jobs, doing bizarre
(18:26):
things, it's a big thing,
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Right.
As a movie fan.
It's the thing that I alwayslook at at the very end that
seems to go very quickly andthere's like a hundred or 200
names of people, but those arereally good jobs.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
There are great jobs.
And, you know, I mean, I guessthey're classified as middle
skill jobs.
And, uh, you know, there are alot of people who have
transferable skills.
Um, maybe they, uh, graduatedfrom both CS and no, um, having
an OSHA certification in, in,uh, you know, something
electrical or, or welding ormechanics or something.
(19:02):
And, and they can actuallytransfer those skills with a
stock aid works training to beready to go on set and, uh, work
on a movie or a TV show andeventually join the union.
That's where the real upside is.
And I can tell you right now ingetting back to COVID, if I
didn't have membership in theunions that I'm in, I wouldn't
(19:23):
have health insurance.
I wouldn't, I'd be so out ofluck.
Right.
So it's really for, for peoplewho work in our industry, um,
it's the way to really have a,you know, a real career and be
on a career pathway rather thanbe just gig to gig.
And, um, so yeah, so stockadeworks is there and is designed
(19:44):
to identify for people whatskills they already have, and
then also give them training inthe areas that they're
interested in, um, and thenprovide mentorship after the
training and referrals to jobs.
And meanwhile, you know, alsotrying to attract those
productions to the region sothat there are jobs for those
(20:05):
people we've trained.
And, uh, so the whole idea, um,in, in stockade works and up
river studios was to create, um,a new media ecosystem for the
Hudson Valley, um, building onwhat was already here, um, you
know, a robust, independent film, um, business, you know, and,
(20:32):
and the wonderful work at theWoodstock film festival, you
know, for years nurturing, um,the cinephile and the
independent, um, filmmakers ofthe world, and really my thought
to scale it so that we couldcreate more economic development
, um, from television shows, uh,that might stay longer, employ
(20:56):
more people and really help theeconomy.
Uh, and as, as I started to domore of this, I thought, okay,
so an ecosystem needs trainingand it needs facilities to be
scaled and it needs more locallyproduced content.
So all of those things have beenthe, the sort of three facets of
this ecosystem that I've beenfocusing on.
(21:17):
And the first was the trainingwas stock aid works.
The second was up river studios,which is just now opening and
Saugerties.
And the third was just my ownproduction company that I'm
finally getting back to thething that I'm re you know,
really that I really want to bedoing creatively, which is
writing, directing, producing,and acting.
(21:39):
Um, so that's, uh, you know, thethird facet, which is, um, uh,
quality pictures, my productioncompany.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
So, um, stockade works is the first one.
How'd you get the name?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Uh, you know, uh, the Scott, the stockade district and
, uh, in Kingston.
Yeah.
And then later I thought, well,the stock K that could have
negative connotations, but, youknow, I was just, I was thinking
hyper-local and, um, you know,we're going to break, we're
going to break free of theshackles of our, uh, limitations
that have been imposed upon usand, uh, and break free from the
(22:18):
stockade of our own, you know, Idon't know.
Yeah.
It, it, it's, that's how we gotthe name.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
All right.
But then you go, you go fromKingston to sororities and what
it was, the evolution ofstockade works to say, the next
thing we need is what, describewhat up river.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
So, um, so stockade works, you know, the training
mentoring, um, the not it's anot-for-profit up river studios
is a sort of phase two of theecosystem and this idea, and it
is 104,000 square foot, um,space that is, uh, soundstage,
(23:02):
um, offices post-productionsuites and the spaces that
support filming of a, of acertain scale.
So, um, you can film anindependent movie out of a
minivan and your aunt Bessie'shouse, and right, we can do
this, what we love to do.
If you're doing a TV show andit's going to be there for
(23:23):
years, you really need a lot ofsets and you need to be, you
need twice, sometimes threetimes as much support space,
meaning space to store props andwardrobe and space to have, uh,
the next episodes of directordoing their prep and the last
(23:44):
episodes director editing orwrapping out of his episode or
her episode.
And then you need the currentepisode team to be working.
And then all of this requiresthat you have, uh, you know,
also dressing rooms and hair andmakeup, Swedes, all the, all the
things that, that, uh, need tobe a little needed, a little bit
(24:06):
more space than, um, than anindependent movie.
And so, uh, we, we have a verylarge facility and, um, the, the
reason Saugerties, um, I loveSaugerties.
Uh, I just wanted to make sureit was somewhere between Hudson
Kingston and Poughkeepsie, um,because, um, our friends down in
(24:28):
Newburgh have Umbra and they'redoing a terrific job down there,
but we really wanted to sort ofserve this Delta of these, these
cities a little bit further upthe river, hence the name up
river.
And, um, you know, we're reallytrying to, uh, make sure that,
(24:49):
uh, production feels like it haseverything it needs every time a
producer is looking for a placeto land a bigger project.
The first question they ask is,is there crew?
And the next question is, arethere stages, or are there
hotels, or, you know, the thingsthat they need to put their crew
, uh, you know, in the location,in our case, we've built the
(25:13):
crew with stockade works alittle bit more than what it was
when we were first here, but getthis process by in, by several
hundred and then COVID happened.
And, um, you know, we were justabout to swing hammers at up
river studios to begin the upfitof this facility.
(25:35):
And they sh we got shut downliterally the Friday before the
Monday, we were shut down and,you know, um, there was, there
was a collective, um, holdingour breath for a minute.
Like, what the heck have we donehere?
And then, you know, you know,our, our cooler minds prevailed
(25:56):
and we realized that actually,um, actually people need more
space than ever, and they needto be able to spread out more
because they need to cycle crewthrough and on and off of the
set more than they used to.
It used to be, everybody's sortof crowd in one room jam
(26:17):
together, and the actors wouldwalk through that and do the
scene and walk back through thatcrowd of people, to their
dressing room or, or, um,trailer, whatever.
And now you have to work indifferent, uh, access zones.
So it's almost like, uh, like abackstage pass, right?
The people who have the allaccess pass are the people who
(26:38):
are in close contact with theactors, and they're tested more
frequently and have certain, uh,almost like a, almost like a
pod.
Right?
Yeah.
And then, um, other departments,let's say the people who are go
in before, um, the actors likethe set decorator, and usually
(27:01):
the set decorator worksalongside, but they have to work
separately in sequence.
Now you have to sort of dressthe set.
Here's your, here's your clock.
Here's that picture on the wall,check it with camera,
everybody's wearing shields andmasks.
And then those people leave andhave to be well away from the
set before the actors come in.
(27:21):
And so, uh, so different groups,uh, different departments are
allowed on set at differenttimes and need to clear out and
go somewhere else.
Right.
And then those people need to besocially distant from other crew
members.
So you actually need quite a bitmore space to sort of cycle
everybody through, uh, feed them, uh, keep them offset, bring
(27:45):
them onset it it's, it's, it's,um, rambling, but it, it is, it
is requires more space.
And, um, so it's worked in ourfavor in essence, because all
the soundstages in the city,we're already at capacity and
they're building more right now.
(28:05):
Uh, but we knew that there was ademand.
We knew that television ishaving its platinum age.
We all know the streamers arekilling it, uh, but also, um, uh
, content, every studio is, um,making content for any platform.
So, um, you know, you mightthink a and E only makes, you
(28:28):
know, a show for a and E, but aand E studios could sell to
Netflix, Amazon Hulu, or put iton a and E.
So everybody's in the studiobusiness, everybody's in the
streaming business now, andeverybody is just dying to make
content because there's such ademand for it now more than
(28:49):
ever.
And because of the shutdown,there's a pent up demand.
And so that also was going towork in our favor.
We felt because, um, we thought,well, when it opens up and when
we finish construction, there isa demand and we will, we will
end up having a large show, cometo our stages.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
All right.
So take a breath there for amoment.
And let's just, let me just beclear, um, being home, working
remotely, it just seems likethere is endless things being
streamed at the moment where didall that come from?
(29:30):
If so many places are shut down,is there an inventory of gee
we're about to release the nextseries or something, but every
time I look at yeah.
Here's another thing that we'reabout to premiere.
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Well, in fact, um, yes, yes and no.
Um, there was a big pipeline ofproductions that had been either
finished or mostly finished thatmight've been shut down that
maybe just needed to, uh, tofilm the last couple of
episodes, let's say.
And so they did a ton ofpost-production on all the, all
(30:08):
the work that was in the can and, um, staggered the release of
these, these shows.
Um, and yeah, and then when itstarted to come back, when, uh,
production opened up again, itwas largely a lot of shows, um,
moved to, um, to Eastern Europe.
(30:31):
Some people went to New Zealand,a lot of shows, went to Canada,
uh, because they had really goodquarantine rules and, uh, very
low case numbers.
And, and it was the picklereally was how will, uh, the
insurance, uh, work?
(30:53):
You, you have to have insuranceon a production, right.
Um, if you're, uh, you can't geta bond or get your production
insured, if nobody knows who'sresponsible for, for a COVID
shutdown.
Sure.
Right.
So that was a big, that was abig, um, question for months.
And, uh, Netflix, you mentioned,um, Netflix, for example.
(31:16):
Self-insured so they were like,
Speaker 4 (31:18):
They're so big.
Okay.
Yeah.
So
Speaker 5 (31:21):
They could continue working.
Um, however, um, however theycould, and really it's, I've
been really impressed with howthe film and television industry
has, has really made it workbecause they knew that they had
to work with some people withoutmasks, because after time to
(31:44):
work without masks, they knewthey had to get it.
Right.
They couldn't just say, okay,everybody PP E and you know,
cover, cover yourselves up.
That's true for the crew, butwhat about the actors and how do
you make it safe for the actors?
So when you have to solve thatproblem, when everything has to
solve for that problem, you, youend up solving a whole bunch of
(32:05):
other problems.
Right.
So, um, how do you test, do yourapid test do, I mean, what the
whole thing?
So every show has its own littletesting room and, uh, uh, uh,
testing service.
And they have a certain numberof tests per week per
department, more for people whoare in that all access pass
(32:26):
zone, right?
The people that were closest tothe actors as an actor, you
might come in and test, uh, 48hours before you even come in
for a fitting.
Um, and even in a fitting you'rewearing a, um, then you have to
test the night before and you doa rapid test the morning of, um,
(32:48):
before you even go to hair andmakeup.
So they have ways of, you know,in thermal checks also before
you even go into your test.
So, uh, they, they test a ton.
The biggest cost to productionwith all of this really has been
all the testing.
Um, and the rapid testing is, isbringing that cost way down so
(33:09):
that they can continue toproduce.
But yeah, there's going to comea time if, if there are more
shutdowns where it will slowdown during the beginning of
COVID, there was a huge, um,uptick in development, um, which
is basically people writing,pitching, getting their projects
bought, and then, you know,developed, uh, through
(33:35):
pre-production getting ready toshoot and development includes
writing.
Uh, it includes casting, allthose things you can do before
you actually go into productionitself.
And so there was, there was avery active development season
because it was March and peoplenormally would be doing pilots.
And that whole, uh, that wholebreakneck TV, um, time of year
(34:02):
slowed so far down, that peoplehad time on their hands.
And they were able to reallythink about, um, some of those
projects that were at the bottomof the pile that nobody had even
read that were terrific.
So it was actually many peopletalked about feeling very, like,
it was a very fertile time withlots of good ideas and
interesting material coming tothe fore.
(34:25):
Um, and so that, that was, thatwas good.
And then things went intoproduction, some got shut down
and came back.
I think things are cranking backup and it's, um, it has been
very, um, very successful as, asan industry at working through
(34:47):
the pandemic.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
So like every other sector there's going to be
disruption.
And for me, disruption is a,it's not disrupting like the
production of something.
It's a good thing.
Disrupting means it causes youto rethink how you were doing
something.
Um, my, I am a huge movie fan.
(35:08):
I love going to the movietheater, but it seems as if my
movie theaters might be in periland, you know, with what are two
recent examples were like wonderwoman and the new Denzel
Washington movie whereby theagreements for how long it's in
the movie theater and before itgets onto, you know, pay per
(35:31):
view and then HBO or whatever.
Um, do you think we're goingback to movie theaters the way
they were or what's?
Speaker 5 (35:41):
No, it's interesting.
It's a good question.
You ask.
And I think prior to COVID, um,box office had dwindled quite a
bit, except for those tentpoleproductions, those, those Marvel
movies, you know, that you justalways want to see the theater,
3d movies or whatever, um, ordate night horror movies.
That's, that's the strangestthing to me anyway, but like,
(36:01):
whatever.
Um, but I think that, um, Yyou've never wanted to do scream
or something.
I, I, listen, I would, I woulddo it.
I would not watch it.
I get, I get so absurdly scaredat horror movies that I, they ha
they literally haunt me.
I'm too sensitive.
Um, but, but my point is that,um, I think prior to COVID,
(36:24):
there was already, um, a realproblem at the box office.
And many, many times films wouldbe released in the theater that
weren't those big, hugeblockbusters, right.
Just to qualify for Academy,consideration or awards
consideration just would have tojust the minimum number of
weeks.
Now, there's an, there's anexception for this year.
(36:47):
I don't think that will go away.
I know that those films will,will come back to upstate films
and they will come back to ourart house cinemas.
And those films will be intheaters.
But I think regardless, but Ithink we're going to actually
want to go back to the theater.
I think we're going to be sohungry for that experience that
(37:09):
I imagine that it will actuallybounce back more than
anticipated.
That's my guess.
But in terms of like your, your,your original question, they
will have to be in theaters toqualify.
I think there is a, a naturaland healthy relationship between
the exhibitors and, you know,uh, the Academy and those, those
(37:32):
entities.
So, because it's, it's, uh, it's, um, it's a whole sector, uh,
both theatrical release of filmsand also theaters like Broadway
and, um, and, and dance andeverything else.
Uh, I, I'm very concerned abouttheir health and wellness going
(37:54):
forward and the need for realeconomic help.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
So, um, let's pretend that we're eventually have COVID
in the pandemic in our rearview, mirror and life is back
to, you know, just like your flushot.
You just get your shot once ayear, but you're not wearing a
mask every day.
Are there changes to the filmindustry that either you wanted
(38:25):
to see that have now have anopportunity to happen, or
they're just changes that havehappened that, um, maybe weren't
your idea, per se, but, um,there, the way in which movies
are made or television shows aremade, is it going to change?
Speaker 5 (38:42):
You know, it's funny because when it first happened,
I thought maybe this is finallythe time that people will look
at the, um, insane way that wego about production, um, and,
and change it slightly.
And by that, I mean, um, theaverage Workday, the average
work week on a show shooting inthe city for example, is like,
(39:06):
you know, 75, 80 hours, that's,you know, full-time equivalent,
that's two plus.
So, um, that, that is that'scrazy.
And also not that productive.
So if you're making art, it'snot like, you know, art by the
pound, right?
It's, it's it, you need to berested and have ultimate, proper
(39:29):
cognitive function and have allthe cylinders burning.
And you also can achieve quite abit more in less shooting time.
If you have more time to sleepat night and prepare for your
next day, both from the actingstandpoint, the directing
standpoint, the crew,everything.
And so, um, there is somethingcalled French hours that I'm,
I'm a real fan of, which is sortof a straight eight hour day.
(39:53):
And instead of, you know, theactors get there at five in the
morning, the crew gets there atseven and you shoot till seven,
and then the Teamsters go homeat nine.
And you know, this ridiculousday.
So usually a 20 hour dayinstead, it means like within 10
hours you arrive at work.
And the last person is off theset by within 10 hours.
(40:16):
And the actors are well rested.
You have one meal at the end ofthe day, not in the middle of
the day that people in France,the reason they call it French
hours, they would start work foreight hours and have a big meal
with the crew, with wine andfood.
And everybody would have thistremendous, a spree decor and go
(40:37):
home.
And it would be a very, um, richexperience.
Um, that is so not American.
So not like Mo you know, mostproductive, but it actually is
you can actually get the sameamount of work done.
And so I thought, Oh, this isgoing to happen.
And people were talking about itas a way to optimize people's
(40:59):
immune function.
And, um, and that, that, youknow, you wouldn't have people
touching food all day long onthe craft service table, or sit
at lunch in the middle of theday.
You need a huge meal and thenget all tired, um, expose
themselves to each other, um, interms of like eating too close
(41:21):
together and stuff like that.
So there was talk of it atfirst, what it was, what their
work around was instead ofFrench hours, uh, they
eliminated lunch so that youwould have to give your, uh, you
would have a menu and that youwould receive in the morning and
you'd, you would have to hand itin by a certain time and your
(41:42):
lunch sort of almost deliveredto you wherever you are.
And so it's more like take out.
And, um, and that's, that'sinteresting.
Um, you know, I think it wouldbe better to work, uh, shorter
hours, uh, and less, less weightbased, more focused time.
(42:05):
Uh, I would require that peopleare more prepared.
There are some things that arehappening on the set already as
a result of having to work inthis weird way.
I mentioned earlier, which is,um, you might have the camera
crew, uh, and th the DP, thecinematographer worked with the
(42:25):
director and really, reallycarefully designed exactly
what's going to be in the framealmost like you would in the
olden days, you know, before,before, uh, digital media and
you cause you'd have film and isexpensive.
So you would only shoot exactlywhat you need, and you would
only build the set for exactlywhat you were going to see.
(42:47):
And it was all very, very, verydesigned back in the MGM days.
You know, everything was verydesigned.
Um, we could use a little bitmore of that and not saying I'm
against a verite or working within a way that's, that's a little
loose and, and improvisational,but having better preparation,
(43:11):
especially on television showsis good for everyone involved.
It, it just makes for betterwork, um, more decisive work.
And, um, you know, as an actor,I think, you know, they, they're
supposed to be locking thescripts much earlier before
COVID, you might get a rewritewhile you're in the makeup
(43:32):
chair.
And it's like this law, a hugespeech.
And you're like, Oh my God, howam I going to do this?
Um, so that's good because theyhave to make sure it's prepared.
Uh, all departments have signedoff on it from COVID safety, uh,
uh, through that lens, you know,to think of it, is it safe?
(43:54):
Is it well planned out?
And, and so it does require thepeople are more prepared and in
a way that's, that's verypleasant.
Um, there are also fewer peopleon the set and, um, while you're
shooting, which is nice, it'sless distracted.
Um, you know, in terms of yourother question of whether you
(44:14):
could work with smaller crewsand those kinds of innovations,
some of those things areactually true and are already in
use on independent films andnon-union films.
Um, but in, in fact there mightbe, um, you need a deeper bench
(44:35):
if people are going to get sickand that sort of thing.
So you actually need to coveryourself in different ways now
with COVID than you used to,
Speaker 4 (44:44):
Um, help me understand a couple of economic
questions.
So first, um, I think you said,you know, doing a TV show or
series, and I've been told, um,so I have no authority on this
that the, you know, if you canget a television show, that's
(45:04):
the home run to be producedbecause it's there, you're a
couple of hopefully, you know,kits renewed.
But no, I think, I think thewalking dead is an example in
Atlanta if I have it right,Georgia.
Okay.
So that, you know, it was like along run and it produced, why
(45:24):
are they so important to landone of those it's obviously much
longer in duration than a movie,but what makes it some of the,
what makes it different than amovie?
Speaker 5 (45:38):
Well, um, mostly it is duration.
It's also, um, when it's a TVseries, you know, people tend to
make their home where they'refilming.
And as you know, um, you know,when you live somewhere, you're,
you're paying taxes and your,um, your kids might go to school
(45:59):
there, your whole family isthere, you know, it's, it's,
it's more than a person jobbingin and sleeping on someone's
couch for a couple of months andthen going back where they're
from.
Um, so there's something that,that just does.
Um, you know, there, there'sdefinitely, um, studies out on
(46:20):
the multiplier effect of, um,production, uh, long-term
production, like a TV series.
Um, I, I think mostly it'sduration TV is the order of 13
or in, in a network show over 20episodes of television is, is
(46:40):
like, um, you know, 10 movies.
Okay.
You know, that's like doing 10movies a year, so it's such a
different order of magnitude,um, that it, it, uh, it's just
hard to even, um, believe.
Um, also, um, you know, ifyou're in a place longer on a TV
(47:03):
series, you, you do have to havemore sets built because of
weather.
And because it just, for, forease of filming, if you're going
to be at the person's house 10times in a, in, in an episode,
you might as well build the setand control the light and
control the weather and come inand out of it as you please, um,
(47:23):
and own it, right?
The person's house that youshoot when you, they come out on
the lawn and up the paper in themorning and that scene, yeah,
you shoot that on location, butthe whole interior of the house
is going to be on a soundstage.
Um, the show I was doing lastyear called for life that is, uh
, in New York city, it's aprison show.
(47:44):
There's 17 sets.
They shoot on location thismuch, you know, like a, a day.
And then the rest of the eightto nine days of an episode are
all on the soundstage.
Speaker 4 (47:57):
Have you thought, is there a dream of, uh, in your,
you know, in your imagination ofa TV series that you could do it
up river or somewhere in theHudson Valley?
I mean, I know have you thoughtabout what it would be?
Speaker 5 (48:13):
I have a lot of ideas, you know, I still have to
like everyone else try to sellmy, sell my work.
Um, and you know, I have a few,a few projects that are out
there going we're pitching and,and try and get set up.
Um, and, but I run tickly.
I'm pretty sure.
Um, I will be the last person towork at upriver because, you
(48:37):
know, we'll, we'll have a showin there and, um, I doubt, um,
I'll get the call to be in it.
So I'll just, I'll just begrateful that, that there is a
show in town and, um, yeah, and,and then I've written a feature,
um, that needs a soundstage.
So maybe, maybe the, let usshoot there between, uh, between
(48:59):
seasons of someone else's show.
Um, but yeah, it it's, it wouldbe, it would be great if I could
do that.
That would be really fun.
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Um, all right.
Well, let me, when I last sawyou, it was just before COVID
and you made this passing remarkto me in which you said it would
be great if we could get a, alittle snip of people who have
filmed in other places outsideof the Hudson Valley.
(49:32):
And they could just say, I wishI could be filming in the Hudson
Valley.
I think, I think I got that.
Right.
And so is that a project?
Is that a project we could do asa fitting way to come out of
COVID then, you know, as amarketing piece to try to, and
(49:54):
what would it look like?
And, you know, cause I, I, itmay have just been an off the
cuff remark, but
Speaker 5 (50:00):
Oh, it's definitely something that's in the works.
Um, this idea that, um, youknow, people in, in various
locations filming who actuallylive in the Hudson Valley would
say that, you know, they'drather be shooting that they'd
rather be filming in the HudsonValley.
Um, but we actually have otherother plans with the, with
hashtags and this and that, thatwe're planning to sort of launch
(50:23):
, uh, soon.
And, um, I'm not at Liberty toshare because it's, everything's
a group think, um, situation.
But, um, but I, I, I guess Ithink you're absolutely right.
Um, definitely need to promoteit as a region.
Um, but I, I, I think it's doingpretty well.
Like the Hudson Valley is likethe hottest real estate market
(50:45):
in the country.
Um, coming up here, there's alot of crew who actually
relocated up here because theyweren't working in the city.
Speaker 4 (50:54):
Oh, you mean specifically within the film
industry, this, this, um, group.
Speaker 5 (51:02):
Yeah.
And, and so people reach out andsay, Oh my gosh, I heard you're
doing this thing.
Do you think there's any way I'mlike, yeah, there is going to be
a way.
So, um, soon we're, we'renegotiating right now with a big
show and we're hoping that, uh,at, at upriver and we're hoping
that it goes forward.
And if it does, that would be,you know, uh, they would be
(51:24):
moving in, in, in March and, uh,shooting in the spring and
summer and through the winter.
And so that would be, that'd befantastic if that happens.
Speaker 4 (51:36):
All right.
Mary Stuart Masterson, thank youso much for, for finding your
way to the, you know, the HudsonValley for stockade works for
your vision for up river.
Um, and let's hope that you canrealize all these dreams as soon
(51:57):
as possible.
So thanks.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
Thank you so much.
What a pleasure to talk to you.
Thank you for tuning in topatterns,
Speaker 4 (52:03):
Paradigms the pattern podcast.
For more information about thisepisode, visit our website
pattern for progress.org forwardslash podcast.
(52:37):
[inaudible].
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