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Business Insider: The Kaufman Astoria Studios are located in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, about a 20-minute subway ride from Times Square, and they're one of the biggest and most complex production centers along the East Coast.
Goodness gracious! I had no freakin' clue that Kaufman Studios was right next door to the Museum of Moving Image! I've visited that museum countless times before and I really can't believe that I wasn't aware of the Studio's presence. Anyway, I think the fact that there's a film studio like Kaufman on the East Coast keeps the industry coming back (otherwise it'd completely migrate to the West Coast). In my mind, New York is heavier on the theatre and Broadway aspect of things as opposed to film studios, but I would like New York to become a hub for studios as well. I just think there's not enough space to do so and "Hollywood"has a nice alluring ring to it. I've never stepped foot in any sort of film studio before but I really would love to. I've been to Hollywood when I was younger but since it was a "family trip"and since I was around 10 years old, nothing really registered. I think I eventually want to wiggle my way into film and television for a bit because so much of my favorite entertainment has originated in those formats.
As someone who's visited New York exactly once for only about ten hours, I had no idea that something that large and monumental existed. On the other hand, since so much TV producing happens in New York I would assume that there would be more than one backlot-- however, the only thing I know less about than New York City is TV production so I have no authority on the subject whatsoever. That aside, backlots have always been intriguing to me because I can't imagine that much happening in one location in just one city. It seems so larger-than-life to think that so much of the shows we love have happened in a physical location, although I guess that's true for all entertainment in general. Something this article made me think about was the difference between a film and a TV studio. Would the two be basically interchangeable? I imagine there would be key differences due to the different scopes of the media, but the basic framework of the studios could potentially be the same. This also brought to mind the difference between filmed and live entertainment (or TV/movies vs. theater) in terms of atmosphere and mindset of both the performers and crew members.
I know that the TV and Film industry is centered (maybe for good) in Hollywood, but it doesn’t exist solely there, there are studios in Pittsburgh and other places, there are quite a few indie movies shot in New Mexico and there is studio support there, but I had no idea that a comparatively small back lot and indoor studio in queens was the largest American studio outside of Hollywood. I know that the Hollywood elite sometimes seems like it has the power of a union and a mob with none of the restrictions and all of the legality, but it seems odd that there is not more enterprising and development of the film industry in other places. There is money to be made and competitive industry to be had. Does something really not count as a monopoly, if even though there are several companies, they are run by the same group of friends as they always have been, and they work together to keep competition out of the field?
Well this is pretty fascinating! In my mind, New York City was dotted with large Studio’s and Back lots from Long Island to Queens. Who knew that there was only one outdoor back lot operating among all five of the boroughs? The history of this place is just about as exciting and intriguing as singular status. The U.S. military even called the shots for a production company there from the World War II era until the Cold War era, that is at least 30 years right there. This studio has quite an impressive legacy and seems to have stood the test of time. Not to mention that the sight, which is currently home to a working and functioning studio, has also been registered as a National Historic Landmark since 1976. I would love to get a studio tour of this place and learn even more riveting trivia and history about this epic East Coast Hollywood studio.
4 comments:
Goodness gracious! I had no freakin' clue that Kaufman Studios was right next door to the Museum of Moving Image! I've visited that museum countless times before and I really can't believe that I wasn't aware of the Studio's presence. Anyway, I think the fact that there's a film studio like Kaufman on the East Coast keeps the industry coming back (otherwise it'd completely migrate to the West Coast). In my mind, New York is heavier on the theatre and Broadway aspect of things as opposed to film studios, but I would like New York to become a hub for studios as well. I just think there's not enough space to do so and "Hollywood"has a nice alluring ring to it. I've never stepped foot in any sort of film studio before but I really would love to. I've been to Hollywood when I was younger but since it was a "family trip"and since I was around 10 years old, nothing really registered. I think I eventually want to wiggle my way into film and television for a bit because so much of my favorite entertainment has originated in those formats.
As someone who's visited New York exactly once for only about ten hours, I had no idea that something that large and monumental existed. On the other hand, since so much TV producing happens in New York I would assume that there would be more than one backlot-- however, the only thing I know less about than New York City is TV production so I have no authority on the subject whatsoever. That aside, backlots have always been intriguing to me because I can't imagine that much happening in one location in just one city. It seems so larger-than-life to think that so much of the shows we love have happened in a physical location, although I guess that's true for all entertainment in general. Something this article made me think about was the difference between a film and a TV studio. Would the two be basically interchangeable? I imagine there would be key differences due to the different scopes of the media, but the basic framework of the studios could potentially be the same. This also brought to mind the difference between filmed and live entertainment (or TV/movies vs. theater) in terms of atmosphere and mindset of both the performers and crew members.
I know that the TV and Film industry is centered (maybe for good) in Hollywood, but it doesn’t exist solely there, there are studios in Pittsburgh and other places, there are quite a few indie movies shot in New Mexico and there is studio support there, but I had no idea that a comparatively small back lot and indoor studio in queens was the largest American studio outside of Hollywood. I know that the Hollywood elite sometimes seems like it has the power of a union and a mob with none of the restrictions and all of the legality, but it seems odd that there is not more enterprising and development of the film industry in other places. There is money to be made and competitive industry to be had. Does something really not count as a monopoly, if even though there are several companies, they are run by the same group of friends as they always have been, and they work together to keep competition out of the field?
Well this is pretty fascinating! In my mind, New York City was dotted with large Studio’s and Back lots from Long Island to Queens. Who knew that there was only one outdoor back lot operating among all five of the boroughs? The history of this place is just about as exciting and intriguing as singular status. The U.S. military even called the shots for a production company there from the World War II era until the Cold War era, that is at least 30 years right there. This studio has quite an impressive legacy and seems to have stood the test of time. Not to mention that the sight, which is currently home to a working and functioning studio, has also been registered as a National Historic Landmark since 1976. I would love to get a studio tour of this place and learn even more riveting trivia and history about this epic East Coast Hollywood studio.
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