By Timothy Malcolm
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 04/17/13
The Orange County Arts Council is now one step closer to establishing a film office.

The Orange County Industrial Development Agency agreed to award $45,000 to the Arts Council for the development of a film office, according to an announcement made Monday. The Arts Council aims to attract film and television projects to Orange County through this office, which will be a wing of the council's operations in Sugar Loaf. A new website and landline have been created, and resources will be spent developing the office's reach and capabilities through marketing and networking.

"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 filmmakers," said Dawn Ansbro, executive director of the council. "We have already begun meeting with municipal leaders and the initial response to this has been extremely positive."

This news comes on the heels of the opening of a film office in Newburgh. The space, donated by Ted Doering of the Motorcyclepedia Museum, is part of an ongoing renaissance of film production in Newburgh and the Hudson Valley.

Ansbro said the Newburgh office will be "falling under" the umbrella of the Orange County office. She also has reached out to the Hudson Valley Film Commission, based in Woodstock, and will act as a conduit to that organization as it builds an infrastructure of Orange County film resources.

Recently the 30 percent tax credit for productions taking place in New York state was extended through 2019; that incentive program has generated $6.9 billion in economic spending and $4.2 billion in personal income to the state, according to a 2012 report by the Motion Picture Association of America.

For more information about the office, visit orangecountynyfilm.org.