Mary Stuart Masterson plans to open a movie studio away from the bright lights of New York City and even further from Hollywood. The actress, producer, director and writer, best known for starring in “Some Kind of Wonderful” and “Fried Green Tomatoes,” wants to launch a film, television and technology studio in upstate New York, specifically uptown or midtown Kingston in Ulster County.
The Times-Herald Record site reports that the studio, tentatively titled Stockade Works, aims to create more diversity in the entertainment industry, “especially among those doing blue-collar jobs.” Masterson hopes that the studio would attract different kinds of people than the more established path to working in media carved out in NYC and LA. “The Cake Eaters” helmer, whose recent acting credits include guest spots on “Blue Bloods” and “The Good Wife,” emphasized that the studio would help grow the film industry in the region. Masterson has already lined up impressive backers, including the head of AMC Studios and the Sundance Channel.
In addition to film and TV production, Stockade Works would offer training for film crews. The hub would also facilitate tech development, including work on apps and video games.
Masterson described Kingston as a “Goldilocks town” because it’s close enough to NYC to be convenient and to take advantage of what the big city has to offer while remaining distant enough to qualify for film tax credits. She added, “Culturally it has its own gravitational center.”
[via Times Herald-Record]
