Orange County Promotes Film Production to Boost Local Economy

Orange County’s Film Office, operating within the county’s tourism and economic development apparatus, is maintaining an active program to attract motion-picture and television production to the region. The office promotes available infrastructure, including local soundstages like Umbra Stages in Newburgh, scouts locations across the Hudson Valley and hosts public screening and premiere events linked to productions that filmed in the county.

The Film Office’s website catalogs recent and past productions that used county locations, provides the practical permit and incentive services productions require, and posts community-facing notices including local premieres and casting opportunities. Recent site posts include coverage of high-profile shoots such as scenes filmed for a Brendan Fraser feature, underscoring the county’s ability to land talent-driven projects that raise the area’s visibility.

Local economic impacts are central to the office’s pitch. The Film Office emphasizes direct spending by productions, hiring of local crews and vendors, and a tourism lift when widely seen projects spotlight Orange County locations. As liaison between productions and local stakeholders, the office helps streamline permitting and coordinates with property owners, municipal authorities and local suppliers to reduce friction that can add days of cost to a shoot.

For Orange County residents and businesses, production activity translates into short-term employment for technicians, extras and service providers, and recurring business for hotels, caterers and transportation firms when larger shoots come to town. Public screenings and premiere events create cultural programming that can draw residents to downtowns and waterfronts, extending the economic benefits beyond single-day shoots.

From a policy perspective, the Film Office’s strategy mirrors broader trends in regional economic development: jurisdictions leverage permitting efficiency, location variety and local facilities to compete for mobile production dollars. The county’s ongoing promotion of its film ecosystem, soundstages, location libraries and concierge services for productions, positions Orange County to capture a larger share of production activity drawn to the Hudson Valley and nearby New York media markets.

Filmmakers and residents seeking more information, permit guidance or to view recent casting and premiere notices can find contact and permit details on the Orange County NY Film Office website at orangecountynyfilm.org.