Filming for HBO’s “Gilded Age” series continues this month in Albany.
Production company officials say several scenes of the second season of the historical drama have been shot so far in Troy and Cohoes, and starting this weekend, shooting for the 1880's period piece heads to Albany.
Various locations and film scenes are being prepared spanning several blocks adjacent to Washington Park. Albany County Film Commissioner for Film Albany Deb Goedeke says residents can expect to see streets populated with horse and carriages and with actors dressed in period clothing on each shoot day.
“They're filming in certain locations, in and around the Lark Street and Center Square area, which is gonna be very cool for our city," said Goedeke. "We're gonna be Albany in the late 1800s. So they're going to really work their movie magic, and have that all come to fruition.”
There are plenty of parking restrictions to go along with the silver screen time machine.
Goedeke says the production is having quite an economic impact on the local community.
“Leading up to this, and the scouting, and the technical scouting and everything else, these people have come back and forth to Albany, utilizing sleeping rooms and our restaurants and any other kinds of services, of course that they're looking for," Goedeke said. "But the Association of Film Commissioners International estimates that a television series can start at $165,000 per day for that economic impact. And where does that money go? You know, where is it going to? So of course it's location fees, rental fees, city permits, police department costs, EMS personnel, they shop local for props and materials. I can share with you that we have over 6,000 sleeping room nights here alone in Albany County, while our hotels are still recovering from COVID.”
Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler shares the enthusiasm.
"My staff has been working with the ‘Gilded Age’ folks for many months now, and trying to attract them over here for reasons just like we're here today," Keeler said. "I mean, the library's a beautiful, historic building that fits in nicely with that era. And there are a lot of other historic buildings in Cohoes that obviously they are attracted to and they'll use for the filming.”
Albany 6th Ward Common Council member Gabriella Romero is excited producers chose to film predominantly in the Center Square.
"Our neighborhood has such a really wonderful and rich architectural history, so it's great that the ‘Gilded Age’ is able to acknowledge that," said Romero. "With regard to the way it will affect the ward, there will be undoubtedly an impact on parking and street closures, but they've been, the ‘Gilded Age’ filming crew, has really been working well with the neighborhood associations and the city. The city has actually created its own website page specifically to document all the parking restrictions and road closures.”
Romero and Goedeke advise those living in or visiting the area to pay attention to signs indicating restricted parking and street closures throughout the weekend and the weeks to come. Filming is slated to wrap up August 27.
