For the Love of Film: The Woodstock Film Festival

Each year, actors like Alec Baldwin, Paul Rudd, Parker Posey, and Steve Buscemi gather with other famous directors and producers at the Woodstock Film Festival, a celebration of independent film. The 2017 Woodstock Film Festival will take place on October 11-15, 2017.
Posted October 10, 2017

From its humble origins, the Woodstock Film Festival has grown into a cultural tour de force, attracting big names from across the world. Each year, actors like Alec Baldwin, Paul Rudd, Parker Posey, and Steve Buscemi gather with other famous directors and producers for a celebration of independent film. Woodstock Film Festival’s founders, Meira Blaustein and Laurent Rejto, launched the festival 18 years ago. “It’s not a red-carpet, stretch-limousine kind of thing,” says Blaustein. “People come here for the love of film and the love of filmmaking.”

And many end up staying. Dozens of visitors buy homes, or come back for their next production. “People fall in love with the area,” she says. “They come for the festival and then come back to make films.” The result is steady growth in the local film industry, year over year—and with a new tax credit of up to 45%, more filmmakers are attracted to Ulster County than ever.

In the past nine years, filmmakers have spent more than $70 million on productions in the region, including more than $8 million in 2016 alone. However, those numbers only account for direct spending; coupled with indirect spending at local hotels, restaurants, and shops the industry’s local impact adds up to nearly $15 million. The film industry also benefits a variety of local tradespeople, including sound engineers, camera operators, carpenters, electricians, and musicians. Currently, filmmakers hire 15 percent to 20 percent of their crews locally, but this number is projected to grow as the film industry in Ulster County continues to expand.

Ulster County has come a long way since the Woodstock Film Festival began in 2000. “It was arid ground in terms of film production,” says Blaustein. “It’s a very vibrant place now.” And as more and more visitors from the film industry fall in love with Ulster County, making films is becoming even easier. “Now there is a lot of infrastructure to support film production,” Blaustein says. “And it’s growing.” More recently, County Executive Mike Hein was instrumental in extending a massive tax cut to filmmakers, making Ulster County one of the most inexpensive places to film in New York State. Production has already seen a huge boost in 2017, bringing investment into local communities. If you’re a filmmaker looking for an amazing place for your next project, call the Ulster County Office of Economic Development at 845-340-3556 to see how we can help.

The 2017 Woodstock Film Festival will take place on October 11-15, 2017. For tickets and more information go to www.woodstockfilmfestival.org.

Weight: 
1

Ulster County Office of Economic Development
244 Fair St, 6th Floor
Kingston, NY 12401

Phone: (845) 340-3556
Email: oed[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us