Ulster County already sounds great, but wait, wait there’s more!

The Hudson Valley, and Ulster County in particular, is home to jaw dropping nature, gram-worthy shopping, vibrant communities, and countless restaurants with farm-fresh food and cozy and exciting spaces.

We’re fond of a little town called Woodstock. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

Called the “Most Famous Small Town in the World,” Woodstock, New York is where the 1969 music festival famously took place. Say “Woodstock” and the legendary Summer of Love concert immediately springs to mind.

The nation’s oldest arts and crafts colony, Byrdcliffe, which dates back to 1903 is in Woodstock. While you can still get Woodstock-era beads, tie-dye, and glitter, these days you’re more likely to find modern art, jewelry, and clothing in the Village Green, at the center of town, as well as restaurants and plenty of live music venues that keep the scene thriving.

Want to pamper yourself a bit between days on location or after your production (or during)? Woodstock has you covered all the way from cute BnBs to the Tibetan Buddhist monastery that is next to our Overlook Mountain trailhead ✨. Anyway, there’s something for everyone in your cast and crew (and YOU of course).

If you’re looking for a snack or a drink, pop into Good Night— one of our favorites and the best in the area. The vibe is après ski lodge meets gin joint lounge (the couches are to die for). We recommend the East Coast oysters for a real taste of old New York in the Hudson Valley, (our personal fav is the Crispy Shrimp with Shishito Peppers).

Let’s talk soon about Ulster County!

A New Hybrid Virtual Production Workflow

At Cobalt, you know we’re always trying to figure out next-level cost-effective efficiencies 😉  We feel a “Hybrid” Virtual Production workflow, which combines different production methods, may be the answer. Small to medium budget projects and corporate content producers are under increasing pressure to create more-for-less with the current state of the film industry and economic issues, at large.

The origin of hybrid Virtual Production lies in the need to blend traditional and modern techniques to maximize efficiency and creativity.

Here’s the thing… Many people mistakenly use Virtual Production as a synonym for LED wall filming. In reality, Virtual Production can cover everything from LED walls to green screen, blue screen and much more.

So, when talking about Virtual Production, there is a misconception that its rise in popularity will mean that LED walls are going to take over from green screen production. Not true at all. They believe that huge LED volumes will be required to film what they need, when in fact, if you MIX smaller LED walls with green screen, then you don’t need a huge volume to shoot big projects, at all. With a Hybrid Virtual Production workflow, it can all be achieved within a relatively small space, without splashing out on big expensive volumes.

Hybrid Virtual Production Workflow

Virtual Production for small and mid-range budgets has been somewhat neglected in all the LED Virtual Production hype, yet these are the types of projects that would benefit the most from what it has to offer by increasing production value within the same budget. Virtual Production thrives on constraints. The moment you’re limited by budget or location, VP kicks in – and that’s where it gets highly efficient. It is a powerful tool which can enable production in seemingly far away and exotic locations, which would break most budgets.

For example, when filming with LED volumes, you need to bring set builders in to create a seamless joint between the real-world studio and virtual scene displayed on the LED wall, and then you can’t have natural shadows… That means your digital advantage of switching from one scene to the next for super fast production is now out the window. You have to build the floor for every different scene, which complicates things and is the opposite of what people expect with LED wall filming, which has a reputation for being more efficient.

This is why a lot of LED wall demos are actually done with sand as you can pour it out and move it quickly for easy set building. But we can’t just keep filming on beaches and deserts or far away planets… When people look back on work filmed in Virtual Production, I’ll bet they’ll know it was shot between 2021-2022 just by noting the sand used for the floor!

With green screen, on the other hand, you can film the floor as it’s part of the scene you want, along with the shadows cast, making it look more realistic. Easy freakin’ peasy.

Looking at the advantages and disadvantages of both styles of filming, it would make sense to use each for its benefits. That’s why we tend to like a Hybrid Virtual Production workflow which combines the two – filming on green screen for wide shots where you’ll need to film the floor, and then switching to LED volumes in the same studio for mid and close-up shots 🙂

LED walls work really well for this, particularly if your actor is wearing glasses or something reflective, which in green screen causes a green colour spill, (this can be removed by the more experienced Director of Photography like what our Alex Fernbach did for our latest NBC project). Green spill is much more forgiving in wide shots where you’re further away from the actors. In LED, it just reflects the scene spill around them which is more realistic.

So your actors are shooting on green screen, and once they move over to the LED wall in the same studio, someone can prepare the green screen and its foreground props for the next scene. It all just creates further efficiency on set and throughout production.

All these misconceptions and misunderstandings mean that there is some further education needed within this space. And that’s not surprising seeing as this is a fairly new way of filming. Not only that, it’s a completely new workflow, which through preparation and pre-production, drastically reduces post production and filming time.  In fact, much of what has historically been considered “post work” is now done in PRE production and finished during actual production shoot days.

Want to learn more about Virtual Production and how to use it?

Let’s talk.

FAQs about “Cobalt on the Road” MOBILE Virtual Production.

New York Doubles Down on Film & TV Production — and We’re Ready to Roll

It’s official: New York just made the best film tax incentive in the country even better.

With the signing of the FY2026 State Budget, NY State just gave a big greenlight to a stronger, smarter, and more competitive NYS Film Tax Credit Program. From faster payouts and new indie support to expanded VFX, scoring, and post-production benefits, these updates are a massive win for productions across the board.

Here’s what’s new and worth celebrating:

Quick Highlights:

    · New Indie Support: The Empire State Independent Production Program brings a dedicated $100M fund with faster credit access for indie filmmakers.

        · Production+: A first-in-the-nation incentive giving recurring productions an extra 10% back—if you spend $100M+ across multiple projects in NY.

        · Musical Scoring Bonus: Record with five or more musicians in NY? That’s another 10% back.

        · Post & VFX Perks: New thresholds make it easier to qualify for post, VFX, and animation incentives—spend just $500K or 10%.

       · Above-the-Line Boost: NY removed the per-person cap on ATL expenses, giving you more flexibility without blowing past 40% of total costs.

And yes—it all adds up to more projects, more jobs, and more reasons to shoot in New York.

Lights, Camera, Empire State

Film and TV production is already back in action across the state:

· Hallmark and the NFL are teaming up in NY.

· Only Murders in the Building is back at it.

· Apple TV’s Your Friends and Neighbors, Netflix’s Zero Day, and The Penguin all wrapped major projects across the boroughs and beyond—bringing hundreds of millions into local economies.

Our Take:  They know what’s up.

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

Summer’s Heating Up in Ulster County—and We’re Loving It

Here in Ulster County, the days are getting longer, the greens are getting greener, and the energy? It’s dialed all the way up. Whether you’re basking in the golden-hour light of the Shawangunks or vibing out at a local festival, this corner of the Hudson Valley is summer’s secret sauce.

We’re lucky enough to call this place home, and it never stops inspiring us—from the moss-covered boulders of the Mohonk Preserve to the creative pulse running through every corner of Kingston and Woodstock.

Nature’s Calling, Loud and Clear

There’s something kind of cinematic about Ulster County. Maybe it’s the way the sun filters through the trees on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, or the sheer drama of the cliffs at Minnewaska. Sam’s Point? Otherworldly. The Gunks? A rock climber’s paradise. It’s no wonder more and more productions are heading north for a backdrop that practically directs itself.

But even if you’re not scouting locations, the outdoors here offer plenty of action—hike it, bike it, paint it, shoot it. Just don’t forget your bug spray (we keep it classy, but we keep it real).

So, What’s Happening This Season?

Whether you’re local or just passing through, Ulster County’s summer calendar is stacked. Here are a few events we’re marking on our calendars:

Phoenicia Festival of the Voice – Aug 1–3

Opera, gospel, and musical theater under the stars? Yes, please. This tiny town gets loud (in the best way).

Ulster County Fair – July 29–Aug 3

A classic with carnival rides, agricultural shows, and deep-fried everything. Held in New Paltz, it’s fun for the whole crew.

Food Truck Fiesta – Monthly on May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug 19 & Sept 16

Live music, cold drinks, and your pick of food trucks. It’s the chillest way to spend a Thursday night in Bloomington.

Good Life Market + Party – July 26

A one-day event packed with local makers, music, and sunshine at the Griffin House. Come for the vibe, stay for the vintage finds.

Still Dreaming?

We get it. With this much natural beauty and creative fuel in the air, it’s hard not to get swept up. Whether you’re storyboarding your next shoot, location scouting, or just looking for a fresh weekend escape, Ulster County’s got you.

And hey—if you need a base camp, Cobalt is just around the corner.

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

Cobalt’s balance.

Yin and Yang ~

And why it matters to your production

Symmetry in Studio Life

In the Eastern tradition, harmony happens when opposite forces are in balance—yin and yang, dark and light, hot and cold, productivity and creativity. To make the Cobalt experience as harmonious as possible for everyone who works here, we try to strike the ideal balance of yin and yang elements. For example, while our turnkey soundstage is keenly focused on hardware and technology, we balance those aspects with a layer of warm hospitality, comfort, and calm.

It’s a Yang Thang

We offer so many tools that we’ve been compared to a Swiss Army Knife—think networked monitors, motion control rigs, and grip gear for days… even a scissor lift and wood shop! If it’s solid and hard-edged, we’ve got you covered. Whether it’s mechanical, like our MoCo tools, or digital, like our amazing Virtual Production System—it’s here at Cobalt. So, how do we balance out the industrial feel of our technical toolbox?

The Yin Within

The essence of any production is people, so we include amenities that make the space feel human. Throughout the studio, essential oil diffusers remind everyone to breathe and be mindful—an effortless way to boost creativity and productivity on set. Lavender for heart-opening and anti-anxiety… Lemon for a little pep in your step. You get to choose! To bring out the best in your talent, Cobalt’s hair, makeup, and wardrobe area has salon-quality styling tools, as well as robes & slippers for a spa-like vibe. Last but not least, Cobalt’s client suite is a comfortable, private oasis with chill leather couches and a networked Video Village for optimal connectivity. There’s even a massage chair! When ordering lighting and grip supplementals before your shoot, why not order a supplemental massage and show your clients how much they matter?

Self-Care to Go

Kara also has a degree in Health Sciences and has launched a USDA Certified Organic skincare brand, Kara Care Skin Food, which has earned multiple awards and has been featured in Elle, Redbook, and Organic Authority. Kara’s passion for holistic therapies was a driving force behind Cobalt’s transformation into a green facility.

Don’t forget to ask Kara for a sample of her Skin Food!

Let’s talk.

Big News for NY Film & TV: New Tax Credit Boosts Are Here

If you produce in New York—or you’ve been thinking about it—this is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

Last week, Governor Hochul officially signed the FY2026 NYS budget, and it’s packed with some major wins for the film and television industry. The state’s already-strong Film Tax Credit Program just got a serious upgrade with a new focus on keeping productions rolling in New York—and making it even more attractive to stay here.

Key Highlights:

• New “Production+” Bonus: Extra 10% incentive for companies spending $100M+ across multiple projects (5% for indies at $20M+).
• $100M Indie Fund: Fast-tracked credit access through the new Empire State Independent Production Program.
• Above-the-Line Flexibility: Cap removed for individual talent, with guardrails to manage overall costs.
• Program Extended to 2036: Plus faster credit payouts—no more multi-year tiers.
• More Support for Music, VFX & Post: New incentives for scoring, lower thresholds for VFX/animation, and streamlined post-production access.

Here’s What It Means

Two brand-new programs—Production+ and the Empire State Independent Production Program—are set to shake things up. These aren’t just tweaks to existing policies; they’re next-level incentives built to reward loyalty, support indie filmmakers, and streamline the process of turning tax credits into working capital.

The Production+ program gives an extra financial edge to companies that commit to recurring projects in the state, and it levels the playing field for indie shops by offering a lower spending threshold.

Meanwhile, the Empire State Independent Production Program gives $100M in support to help independent productions monetize their credits faster—a much-needed boost for the folks who often operate without studio backing.

This is all part of a bigger push to keep New York competitive—not just with other states, but with global production hubs. These new incentives are designed to keep crews working, soundstages booked, and the creative economy thriving.

What’s Next?

The rollout will take shape over the coming months as new regulations, guidelines, applications, and website updates go live. For now, the message is clear: New York is all-in on Film and TV.

Want to stay ahead of the updates? Subscribe to the MPTV newsletter or reach out directly with questions at (212) 803-2328 or filmcredits@esd.ny.gov.

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

How a turnkey soundstage saves you time and money.

BY KARA VEDDER

How do you want to spend your time—being creative? or managing minutia..? With an ’empty warehouse’ soundstage, you can spend your precious time sourcing lights, lenses and folding chairs. A better alternative might be working with a turnkey soundstage.

Here’s why leveraging your soundstage’s onsite offering helps you stay under budget, and spend more time on what matters most:

THE WORK.

Save time and money TWICE.

Using a turnkey soundstage protects your production against wasted time and money, upfront, by sparing you some of the sourcing. Then, you save AGAIN, onset, by being ‘preventative’… At a turnkey stage, you are aligning yourself with vendors who have already thought through & prepared for last-minute emergencies that can occur. Even better, the spur of the moment rigging pinch, it helps if a studio has rigging components available. Having these last minute capabilities, keeps you from needing to put your production on pause. Seriously, what happens if someone has a creative idea in the middle of lighting design?? It really helps if you can just ‘grab something’ from the in-house inventory…

Start from scratch? Really?

More tools and amenities, onsite, also means a lot less to worry about. If you’re shooting food, don’t construct a kitchen. Find a soundstage that has one! If you’re making a film, shoot where there’s more of what you need, long-term. How about ample production space, office supplies and generous internet bandwidth, to start? If you’re building a practical set, don’t rent another entire space to do it. Find a place with a woodshop if you’re building a physical set. If you’re building your set, virtually, find a place that has VSet ready to go. And if you’re working with celebrity models or actors, see what amenities are offered for talent. Comfortable chairs, robes, and slippers really DO make a difference.

Use more, pay less.

We saved the easiest for last! The simplest way to save on below-the-line expenses is by working with a turnkey studio, and taking advantage of economies of scale. In addition to comparing what tools and amenities are offered, in-house, ask what kind of package deals each soundstage has to offer. You can save exponentially on time and money by negotiating a volume discount.

The Takeaway

It’s simple. Your soundstage’s onsite resources shouldn’t be an afterthought. When you factor in the time and labor of sourcing, transport and last-minute surprises, it almost always makes sense to work with a one-stop shop that offers more of what you need.

ABOUT KARA VEDDER

 Stages Owner and President Kara Vedder has spent most of her career working in television, film, photography, and commercial production as an actress and producer. This experience inspired the creation of Cobalt Stages, a by-producers, for-producers turnkey soundstage in Hoboken, N.J., and now Woodstock, NY, offering state-of-the-art production solutions, onsite and on location.

We’ve Pioneered Virtual Production for a Decade–Let’s Catch You Up.

Key takeaways:

• Cobalt Stages has been at the forefront of Virtual Production since 2015, when we introduced the emerging technology to the East Coast.
• Virtual Production pushes cinematic boundaries, opening up creative possibilities and stretching budgets.
• You can choose your Virtual Production workflow, either Traditional (where the final compositing happens in post) or Final Pixel (which generates live, finished composites while you film).
• We take a consultative approach to help you get started or go next-level. We’re here to share our love of Virtual Production with producers at any stage – beginners and seasoned pros, alike.

Based on a Presentation for the Woodstock Film Festival by Kara Vedder, President of Cobalt Stages, and Partner, Alex Fernbach:

Cobalt Stages has been leading the charge in Virtual Production since 2015, when we brought the tech to the East Coast. It wasn’t exactly a warm welcome—industry vets pushed back with the classic, “But we’ve always done it this way.” Change is tough. But we stuck with it because we saw what Virtual Production could do. Eventually, we boiled it all down to three words: pushing cinematic boundaries. And honestly? That’s what it’s all about. The creative freedom is real—even on a shoestring budget. (Trust us, as producers, we’ve lived those trade-offs.)

Virtual Production opens up new possibilities like:

• Staging your story anywhere imaginable-–past, present or future.
• High production value on a shoestring budget.
• No more weather days, or chasing the sun.
• Shooting entire projects on stage in a controlled environment.
• No more travelling cast & crews.
• Fewer box trucks….. Loading & unloading….

What Is Virtual Production?

Virtual Production integrates computer-generated environments with live action, allowing filmmakers to see the composite in real-time, during the shoot. This creates a seamless blend between physical and digital elements, giving directors unprecedented creative freedom and control.

Virtual Production: LED Volumes & Chroma Key Screens

Time to bust a major misconception….  Virtual Production isn’t synonymous with LED volumes.  LED walls are an option, not a requisite. Chroma key screens work just fine in most cases.  In fact, you can take a Hybrid approach using green screen for wide shots and LED walls for close-ups. If you’re shooting highly reflective live action elements (like cars or sparkly wardrobe) this is where LED walls really shine (pun intended ;)).

LED volumes and green/ blue screens are just tools. All of them work with the Virtual methodology.  Our system handles BOTH LED & green/blue screen.

Workflows in Virtual Production

Choose your Virtual Production workflow; either Traditional where the final compositing happens in post, or Final Pixel, which generates live finished composites while you film.

With Final Pixel, you can expect to spend more time in planning and pre-production, but you won’t have post to worry about.

Where to Find Budget-Stretching Virtual Assets

Creating virtual environments doesn’t mean building everything from scratch. There are plenty of online marketplaces where you can find ready-made 3D models for a fraction of what a physical set would cost:

• TurboSquid
• Unreal Marketplace (FAB)
• Scans Factory

Check out this Soviet Bunker for $10.

Image from TurboSquid.com.

You can hardly get a breakfast sandwich for $10 these days.

Speaking of Cost Savings

We saved the budget convo for last because cost-savings can turn off producers who equate it with cutting corners on quality. We founded Cobalt as a “By Producers, For Producers’ company, so we get that.

Virtual Production can help you achieve the quality you want, while stretching the budget you have, allowing you to eliminate expenses like these where you think it makes sense:

• Location scouting
• Travel
• Permits
• Security
• Weather days

Virtual Production in Action, Brought to You by Cobalt Stages

Take a deeper dive into the elements of Virtual Production, and get ideas for your next project.

• Jimmy Fallon’s Christmas Spectacular: 3 cameras, 12 sets, dozens of A-listers – shot in 3 days
• Hackerland Episodes 36 & 37: 10 scenes, 4 countries – shot in 3 days
• LG commercial: Virtual home set, minimal practical elements – shot in half a day

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

Cobalt On The Road:

We Bring Virtual to You, Anywhere.

Key takeaways:

• Our capabilities include the production tools everyone’s talking about: Virtual Production and Robotics.
• What truly sets Cobalt apart is our consultative approach. It’s important to us to help filmmakers confidently tell their stories without creative compromise.
• We continually expand our mobile offerings, and remain committed to making advanced production technologies accessible to seasoned professionals and first-timers, alike.

As film and television producers ourselves, we know that adaptability isn’t just beneficial in our industry—it’s essential. And, we bring next level technology + creative support to your doorstep–literally.

Get the Production Tools Everyone’s Talking About – Delivered to You

Virtual Production

The latest addition to our “Cobalt on the Road” offerings is Virtual Production. This technology integrates computer-generated environments with live action, allowing directors and cinematographers to see the composite as they shoot.

Our Virtual Production setup can work with either:

• LED volumes – excellent when you have a lot of reflective surfaces, like cars or shiny costumes, or need interactive lighting
• Green screen or blue screen technology – typically best suited for wide shots where actors are seen grounded to the floor

Motion Control Technology

Motion control (MoCo) is a precision robotics system that can be put to work on practical or virtual sets. It enables identical, repeatable camera movements, taking production value to the next level when:

• An actor needs to play multiple characters in the same scene
• Operating an impossible to execute shot
• You want to control the flow of time around a subject
• Shooting multiple celebrities with different schedules, in the same scene

Our MoCo systems can transform a static shot into a dynamic, cinematic experience without the telltale signs of visual effects at work. It enables repeatable, robotic precision that feels hand-crafted.

Expert Production Consulting Comes With!

What truly sets Cobalt apart is our consultative approach 🙂

We’re not here to sell you the flashiest technology. We’re here to understand your goals, and advise you on your options. Pros, cons, trade offs – warts and all. We believe it’s important to work with clients to develop the absolute best solution to realize their creative vision without losing sight of financial realities.

As we continually expand our mobile offerings, we remain committed to making advanced production technologies accessible to filmmakers at every level. Whether you’re a seasoned director shooting on location, or tackling your first Virtual Production, Cobalt on the Road comes to you with knowledge to share, choices to weigh and the support of fellow producers who actually get it.

Lets talk.

FAQs About “Cobalt on the Road”

Virtual production is NOT expensive.

With any cutting-edge tech in film, there’s an expectation that it will initially be the preserve of big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. In the case of Virtual Production, this is a misconception further cemented by the ubiquity of examples such as The Mandalorian and Dune: Part Two.

Reordering your pipeline to save massively in post.

While it’s true that Virtual Production is widely used in Hollywood, its usefulness doesn’t end there. In reality, the technology offers cost savings which will appeal to any production team! Think of it as a re-ordering of the overall production process; your 3D computer graphic assets are now prepared in full quality in pre-production, and your post-production compositing is the shoot itself. The saving is the reduced post-production time and the removal of on-set errors.

Earlier, easier, safer creative decisions.

Also, the ability to make creative decisions earlier on in the process, will result in cleaner takes given that actors are present while those calls are being made, as opposed to fixing costly errors in post (or, even more inconveniently, with re-shoots). On top of that, virtual scouting eliminates the cost of travel and indeed our carbon footprints.

AGAIN: Saving time and saving money.

The true magic of Virtual Production, however, lies in the fact that it is not a cheap substitute for ‘the real thing’ – it is simply an alternative. As a report from Deloitte noted, “Hollywood may be reaching the limits of efficiency using the traditional production methodology. The mindset and toolset of Virtual Production can support not only better creative outcomes, but also potentially significant time and cost savings.”

And in this instance, what’s true for Hollywood is true for the rest of the industry, too. It’s certainly been true for us at Cobalt 🙂