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Creative Directory (Chicago / Midwest)

R. Richard Hobbs — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:42:13 +0000

“The midwest’s leading source for the creative community | Creative Directory Services provides an umbrella site for all aspects of the production community servicing the Midwest”

Category Headings of resources (visit Creative Directory for links):

Computer / Print / Prepress / Animation / Systems Design

Photo / Photographers / Assistant Photographers / Stock Photo / Footage / Images / Photolabs / Service Bureaus / Finishing / Make-Up / Hair Stylist s/ Food Stylists / Home Economists / Photo Stylists / Location Scouts / Sets / Props / Costumes / Stunts / Special Effects / Photo Reps / Illustrator Reps

Art / Design / Retouchers

Print / Color Separators/ Proofing / Comps / Finishing / Converting / Binding / Direct Mail / Fulfillment / Printers / Promotional Products / Specialty Imprinting

Photo / Photolabs / Service Bureaus / Finishing

Multimedia / Foreign Language Services / Subtitles / Staging / Exhibits / Trade Shows / Meetings / Location / Sites / Events

Film and Video / Production Companies / Studios / Producers / Video / Film Crews / Production Company Reps / Director Reps

Audio / Sound and Music Studios / Composers / Sound Design / Music Libraries / SFX / Production Music / Location Recording / Sound

Post / Production / Film Laboratories / Captioning / Duplication / Replication / Distribution

Equipment / Sales / Rental / Service / Film Stock / Bulk Tape / Recording Media / Teleprompters / Grips / Lighting / Rolling Stock / Studio Rental / Stage Rental / Art Supplies / Photo Supplies

Talent / Model Agencies / Performing Talent / Casting / Coaching / Choreographers / Dance Companies / Talent Payment

Media / Creative Staffing / Freelance Writers / Marketing Communications / Public Relations / Advertising Agencies / Associations / Organizations / Media Buying / Messenger Services / Business Services / Caterers / Hotels

…visit Creative Directory…

Harriman State Park NY Spring

R. Richard Hobbs — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:51:19 +0000

Click the photo for a better view

Yes, folks, it seems “Spring has sprung” in the lower Hudson Valley of New York State and New Jersey – the trees are budding, many trees / plants have leaves and / or blooms at this point – heck, the Forsythia flowers are going to start getting old and dropping off soon!

Harriman State Park is a local wilderness gem for outdoors-loving urbanites and suburbanites as well as filmmakers and photographers (…and of course, location scouts!

From Wikipedia:

“At 46,613 acres (186.4 km²), Harriman State Park is one of the largest state parks in New York. Located in Rockland and Orange counties 30 miles (48 km) north of New York City, it is a haven for hikers with over 200 miles (320 km) of hiking trails. The park is also known for its 31 lakes, multiple streams, public camping area, and great vistas. The park’s hiking trails are currently maintained by volunteers from the New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. On its northeastern edge, Harriman State Park borders the smaller Bear Mountain State Park.”

Harriman State Park, NY – from Wikimedia Commons
Click the photo for a better view

…read the rest…

The center of Harriman State Park is, “41.5 mi – about 1 hour 2 mins – up to 1 hour 30 mins in traffic” (per Google Maps) – which is, indeed, outside the 25 mile New York City film zone, but for some just-slightly less travel-distance-minded shoots – it may well be a moot point anyway?

Film / photo permit applications are obtained from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) at the Bear Mountain Ranger Station in Bear Mountain State Park, which borders Harriman State Park’s northeast corner. You should contact PIPC with details of your shoot and they will determine applicable permit fees, which may include fees to have park staff supervise your shoot. I have always found the Harriman State Park photo/ film permit fees to be very reasonable and affordable and PIPC and park staff very knowledgeable and helpful. Depending on the scope of your production, you’ll have to work with PIPC to make sure they will be able to accommodate you with regard to their ability to schedule their limited staff for possible additional duty. Time must also be allowed for processing your permit application. I have always been amazed at PIPC’s efficiency and expedience processing my permit applications, but as much lead time as possible should be allowed for PIPC to do their jobs to process your permit application.

Filming is generally restricted to areas accessible to the general public and careful consideration should be given toward not only vigilantly protecting the park’s natural environment but also the impact your production may have on the enjoyment of the park’s resources by the general public. That said, there may also be restrictions on shoot times and dates, particularly with regard to weekends, major holidays and possible existing scheduled public events.

The absolute *best* course of action would be to hire a professional location scout / location manager to take care of all the details for you!

Since the park is close to New York City and adjacent to thriving business areas outside the city itself, there are plentiful options for overnight accommodations if needed, including a hotel at Bear Mountain. This hotel I am talking about at Bear Mountain State Park is nothing fancy from what I remember but there are definitely “corporate level” hotel chains represented in the area too.

Bear Mountain is also home to the historic Bear Mountain Inn, which, however, is currently closed for renovations. Contact the park office at the Bear Mountain Ranger Station for further details.

A little further north, the Thayer Hotel at West Point, NY (home of the United States Military Academy) is distinctive and elegant.

For more accommodations ideas go Googling or “let your fingers do the walking“.

The small towns along the banks of the Hudson River near Harriman State Park and other small towns that dot the rest of the perimeter of the park represent a diverse demographic range, so there are catering and dining options available to suit many culinary or budgetary parameters.

General shopping is available in the area locally along main thoroughfares and there are two major shopping malls in the area, Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY and the Woodbury Common shopping area off New York Thruway Exit 16. If you take Route 17 into New Jersey to the Paramus area, the Paramus, NJ shopping corridor, one of the largest shopping districts in the nation, is available about 30 minutes away. There is shopping all along Route 17 down to Paramus to its major crossroad at Route 4. Route 4 east or west of Route 17 is a major thoroughfare and Route 17 continues south to its terminus in Lyndhurst, NJ.

Stanley Hotel in CO Mountains

R. Richard Hobbs — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:24:00 +0000

…or “Inspiration and Filming Locations For The Shining (1980):

Coudal Partners Kubrick Page

“Tangentially Kubrick related: spent some time today in Estes Park, Colorado at The Stanley Hotel, which was the inspiration for The Shining and was where Stephen King wrote it over a five month period. – sd-08.04.07″

I had always heard that Stephen King spent some time at Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, NY) researching / writing The Shining and that actual filming was done at a resort in Oregon, but according to this page, the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, OR was only used for a few exteriors and the interiors were filmed at Elstree Studios in London (UK)

it’s Kubrick Week over here at Casa Hobbs

-RH

Hotel Pierre NYC Renovations

R. Richard Hobbs — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:00:03 +0000

New York Times – The Pierre, It Turns Out, Isn’t Ageless

“The historic and elegant Hotel Pierre in New York City will be closing for at least a year for a $100mil renovation.”

According to the Pierre Hotel’s website, banquet facilities will remain operational during the renovation.

Interviewed By WCBS-TV (NYC) Re: Orangetown, NY Filming Fees

R. Richard Hobbs — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:52:26 +0000

I was interviewed last week by New York, NY CBS affiliate WCBS-TV, for a video news article entitled Hollywood Being Priced Out of 1 Upscale Rockland County Town that ran on the Thursday, April 12th 11pm Newscast and in extended form the following morning on the Morning News regarding a situation in Orangetown Township, NY whereby the town has initiated a $500 per hour fine for film crews present before 7a.m. or after sunset.

As I said on camera, Orangetown’s fees are exorbitant. I could never recommend sending a film crew to Orangetown under these circumstances. Film makers are not fools and contrary what many casual observers seem to think from what they may have seen on Entertainment Tonight, the production side of film and tv are not about burning thru money as fast as you can throw it on a fire, which is about what Orangetown’s fees amount to.

Directors Guild of America (DGA) publication on the subject of runaway film production

Evidently, at some time or another, someone was inconvenienced by production vehicle traffic (I am told it is one individual in particular and a review of town meeting minutes on the town website reflects a couple of instances where the same few specific residents made complaints about filming activities). The Town Supervisor, Thom Kleiner was quoted as saying they were inconvenienced by truck traffic.

The majority of film productions are very willing to work to with local residents as well as local government and law enforcement to facilitate conditions with every one’s best interests in mind. It seems like something cumulatively seriously fell thru the cracks in Orangetown.

It just doesn’t seem to all add up.

Time lost by residents due to occasional temporary neighborhood film-production traffic delays: 15 minutes?

Time spent preparing for and attending town meetings to complain: hours?

What’s sad is the town has cow-towed to these several misguided and selfish individuals. The many positive effects that film production has on a local community seems to be lost on this bunch.

Film production brings business to town. If there is a crew shooting they are likely putting people in hotels, eating in local resturants and using local caterers, shopping at local retailers and spending money with any number of other local businesses, not to mention owners of property used for locations who could be banking several mortgage payments in fees when their properties get utilised by production even just short-term.

Film production is a decent-size industry which accounts for around $5 billion a year New York City alone. In fact, contrary to popular belief, the local film offices exist not primarily as arts and cultural entities but rather as offices of economic development and the New York State Film Office and New York City Mayors Office of Film, Theater and Broadcast (MOFTB) are very active at their respective government levels to create tax incentives to attract film makers. A study of effects of New York City’s recent Made in New York Incentive reflects dramatic annual shoot day increases over the past several years which translates to a more than $3 billion increase in city revenue from film production. Tax incentives have shown to generate 30%+ returns, or, every tax dollar waived, have resulted in $1.34 in increased overall revenue.

The New York State Film Office and NYC MOFTB have both worked long and hard to attract filming to the state and greater NYC metro area, so, a town like Orangetown is, for all intents and purposes, shooting the film offices (as well as their own local economic development) in the foot.

New York State Tax Incentives For Film Production

New York City Tax Incentives For Film Production

New Jersey State Tax Incentives For Film Production

Connecticut State Tax Incentives For Film Production

Complete list of U.S. State’s film industry tax incentive programs (January 2007)

Film Production is clean. You dont have to worry about cleaning up the ground water after a film company leaves town.

There is no doubt that for most people, being able to say that you have had a movie made in your town brings a sense of pride and most find experiencing the process to be fun and exciting.

An active local film/arts community does a lot to raise the cultural level of any town or city.

C’mon Orangetown, wake up and smell the coffee!

New York State Filming / TV Incentives Kick In: Commercials Up Next?

R. Richard Hobbs — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:56:20 +0000

Shoot Magazine (print edition) | or Seeking Deja Vu: N.Y. Looks To Fuel Spot Business (subscription required) | Commercial-making Incentives Hope To Mirror Success of N.Y. Feature Film / Television Program Tax Credits | By Robert Goldrich

“February 23, 2007 — For Alan Suna, co-owner of Long Island City-headquartered Silvercup Studios, a New York stage facility mainstay, the success of the TV series pilot filming season bodes well for spot production in the Big Apple. Just as the upsurge in film and TV lensing, including pilots, has increased dramatically since New York’s feature/TV tax credits…”

Tax incentive legislation enacted in New York at the state level beginning 2004-2005 has increased feature film and tv production significantly, but initially, somehow, the tv spot end of the industry was left out.

All that is about to change, thanks to new tax incentives that include commercial production as well.

On a local level, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcast’s (MOFTB) “Made in New York” program, which includes tax incentives, a concierge service as well as additional vendor discounts and other perks has increased film production volume dramatically over the past two years, attracting $2.4 billion in new production business including a record number of tv pilots. Like the state’s original program, the city’s current tax incentives only include films and tv shows, however, the Mayor’s Office and New York City Council are presently considering a companion program to New York State’s new program that includes commercial production.

For all of us in the film production business, including location scouts and location managers, ANY program, especially a tax incentive program that, according to figures per current programs in place quoted in the Shoot Online article generates $1.34 in increased overall income per $1.00 in tax incentives and generates new, increased business= a good thing! The overall local economy benefits as well, as film production relies on a myriad of local vendors not neccesarily always linked directly just to film production, including many areas of the hotel and hospitality industries and as “everyday” as hardware/building supplies, car services, dry cleaning and general retail to name just a few.

Specifically regarding film location services, local property owners and the real estate industry benefit and in the case of studio filming there are benefits as additional studio space is leased to accommodate increased filming. The aforementioned Shoot article also quotes SilverCup Studios (Long Island City, NY) co-owner Alan Suna reporting that business volume has been sufficent enough for Silvercup to open SilverCup East and plans are in the works to open SilverCup west on the east bank of the East River in Long Island City. SilverCup is one the the New York City area’s largest film studio/sound stage businesses, regularly hosting studio shoots for many major motion pictures, television programs and commercials.

Complete list of U.S. State’s film industry tax incentive programs (January 2007)

SHOOTonline.com

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Rockland Magazine Article About Local Movie Homes and Location Scouts

R. Richard Hobbs — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 22:37:36 +0000

Yours Oughta be in Pictures… | By JENNY HIGGONS | (Original publication: October 18, 2006)

“You probably wouldn’t recognize these Rockland homes if you passed them on the street, but they’ve starred in some famous Hollywood flicks. Think your home has movie-star potential?

Charles Mouquin and his wife, P.J., barely had to break their daily routine—or even a sweat—to earn in 17 days what many people earn in a year. The Sparkill couple simply had to—all expenses paid, thank you very much—spend a night in a ritzy Manhattan hotel and briefly put their dogs in a kennel during a nighttime shoot. How did the Mouquins snag such a sweet deal? Last year they rented out their 9,000-square-foot Sparkill mansion on 19 acres to 20th Century Fox for the filming of Stay, its movie starring Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling and Naomi Watts. OK, so the psychological thriller’s box-office take was a drop in the bucket compared to its estimated $50 million budget. But no matter: The Mouquins still got a tidy bundle for the use of their Second Empire Victorian home built in 1873. (The couple was reticent about revealing the exact amount, but let’s just say it was a healthy five-figures.”

I am interviewed and quoted several times in the above article.

Ms. Higgon’s article, in my (admittedly biased) opinion, gives a pretty even-handed overview of what a property owner might expect in the course of an encounter with a location scout or film crew if approached with regard to having their property used for filming or during the course of a number of in-production filming situations.

Film Scouts Interview – Lawrence Bender / Good Will Hunting

R. Richard Hobbs — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 02:15:21 +0000

Film Scouts Interviews: Lawrence Bender on Good Will Hunting by Henri Behar

“Remember the blizzard in Manhattan a few years ago? That’s when Good Will Hunting kind of gelled. After the New York Film Critics gave their awards, as the snowstorm raged outside on that night in mid-January, a bunch of stragglers-cum-diehards got stuck at the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Street. Among them: Kevin Spacey, Mira Sorvino, directors Ted Demme, Kevin Smith (Clerks) and Quentin Tarantino, as well as Tarantino’s producer-partner Lawrence Bender and Miramax head-honcho Harvey Weinstein.

updated: 7/4/2008 | added links / map / general cleanup