That's the question the Times Herald-Record's Deborah Medenbach is asking:
The film commission talks about bolstering the local supply of set construction workers with some training programs, but two big questions loom: Will there be enough work to make it worth their while for crew to embark on a career here? Will the unions eventually help the growing infrastructure of film production facilities in the area by giving the region its own production zone?
Medenbach talks to a few local film workers, including special-effects artist Peter Kunz and grip Tom Hocking. The consensus: There's a lot of life in the local film industry, but it's still got growing pains. To support a healthy ecosystem of filmmaking jobs, the region needs both more trained film workers and support from the unions. And, of course, more movies.
Want to get involved in local filmmaking? Check out the Hudson Valley Film Commission's message board, where both union and non-union jobs are posted regularly. (And also some odd requests, like these folks who are looking for "abandoned structures.") The HVFC also frequently posts opportunities on their blog.
Photo of film strip by Flickr user Janne Moren. Published under Creative Commons license.
