If you think Saugerties is worth showcasing, you aren’t alone — CGI Communications, a Rochester-based marketing firm that has filmed “video tours” of municipalities throughout the country approached Saugerties officials to put together a promotional video to be displayed on the town’s website.
Town Board members approved the proposition at their June 20 meeting. An initial brainstorming session for reel-worthy opportunities between the team and Saugerties notables, including Chamber of Commerce head Mark Smith, Tourism Committee Chair Marjorie Block and Parks and Buildings Superintendent Greg Chorvas, will take place on July 12. Town Supervisor Fred Costello hopes that filming will begin even earlier so that clips of the community’s Fourth of July parade and the 500-vehicle fleet at the Sawyer Motors Car Show on July 8 can be included.
“They’re short videos so we won’t be able to show everything, but it will be a unique feature to display tourist sites, economic opportunities, public awareness [messages], and historic resources,” explained Costello. “It’s very exciting.”
The video will be paid for in ad revenue, which will be accrued by the company by selling the video to other groups for television and online advertisements within the first three years after it is completed. Costello said the video will be available upon its completion on the town website, which he said should take place before the year is out. Among other New York communities that have used the service are Rochester and Sleepy Hollow.
The typical model of the company’s product include vignettes of alluring tourist attractions, clips of historic highlights and a message from the community’s top-ranking public official. According to CGI President and CEO Bob Bartosiewitcz, their video department alone is peopled by 125 employees. He also said the company has worked with for 5,000 municipalities, counties and chambers of commerce.
“We want to feature out major events — the car show, HITS, the garlic festival and the things that Saugerties has become known for. We also want to feature our economic opportunities in the village, on Malden Turnpike and Kings Highway,” said Costello. “We want to feature our valuable life resources that make Saugerties a wonderful place to live.”
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