Orange County IDA funds county-wide film office
SUGAR LOAF — The Orange County Industrial Development Agency has award $45,000 to the Orange County Arts Council for the development of a new county-wide film office.
The film industry is a huge economic driver and one which offers great potential to Orange County. According to a report released in December 2012 by the Motion Picture Association of America, the motion picture and television industry supported 28,900 jobs across all industries in New York State last year, including 12,600 jobs directly associated with productions, as well as 16,300 in related businesses such as hospitality and retail.
Tax incentives
This is, in large part, due to the 30 percent tax credit program offered by New York State which was recently extended through 2019. The report also states that this incentive program generated $6.9 billion in economic spending and $4.2 billion in personal income to New York State.
The new film office will work to present Orange County as a film-friendly location in order to attract new and larger television and film projects.
Working with municipalities
According to the Arts Council’s press release announcing the funding, the office aims to attract more film industry jobs and encourage spending in the county, to increase and maintain film and video production here, to measure the economic impact of the industry on the county, and to offer coordination and leadership while serving as the liaison between the film industry and Orange County municipalities, agencies, services, and businesses.
“Our objective is to create a film-ready infrastructure throughout Orange County by helping our municipalities to adopt local laws addressing film and video production, as well as the paperwork necessary to create a smooth and easy process for film-makers,” Dawn Ansbro, executive director of the Orange County Arts Council, said in the press release. “We have already begun meeting with municipal leaders and the initial response to this has been extremely positive.”
Online efforts
A Web site is being launched which will feature photographs of Orange County landscapes, historic architecture and other unique buildings. The site will also provide contact information for those resources needed by the film industry such as hotels, caterers, transportation, equipment rental, etc. It will offer a place for film professionals to be listed and found, provide information regarding the tax credit incentives and show examples of films that have already been made here.
“Orange County has a long history of film making, dating back to the early 1900s when Cuddebackville was a favorite spot for the Biograph Company and director D.W. Griffith,” said Deputy County Executive James O’Donnell, who also serves as executive director of the Office of Economic Development which oversees the IDA. “With our proximity to New York City, diversity of available locations – from city to rural to woodland, and business-friendly environment, it makes good sense for Orange County to launch a concerted and collaborative effort to attract film business.”
Contact information
If you are a film professional living in Orange County, if you have a film location you would like to have listed on the new web site, or if you would like more information about the Orange County Film Office, contact Dawn Ansbro at 845-469-9168 or visit www.orangecountynyfilm.org.