Clothing brand photoshoot occupies downtown Millbrook

MILLBROOK — A film production crew took over downtown Millbrook Thursday, April 30, causing a stir among the community and speculation over a reported celebrity spotting.

Tommy Nisenson of Saugerties-based production company Tracksuit Productions said he couldn’t go into specifics about the shoot, but he could say his crew was filming and photographing clothing for an upcoming fashion line. Branding at the shoot appeared to be from clothing line “U.S. Polo Assn.,” the official brand of thecountry’s polo governing body, although Nisenson wouldn’t confirm.

Nisenson said the crew faced repeated questions from local students about Justin Bieber’s involvement in the shoot. Nisenson said Bieber had no connection to the production.

Bieber had been spotted in the Millbrook Diner earlier in the week, according to public posts on social media.

“They should probably go back to school,” Nisenson said to a curious onlooker inquiring about students’ absence from school.

Nisenson started Tracksuit Productions three years ago, he said, in pursuit of a dream to work with his friends and acquaintances producing advertisements in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Since founding the company, Nisenson has worked with brands such as Crocs, Converse and FedEx.

The crew on Thursday consisted of 70 people from across the world, Nisenson said. Such a large production required months of coordination and effort.

“I’ve been working on this since January,” Nisenson said. He expects another two months of work on the project before it’s wrapped up.

Nisenson praised Millbrook for welcoming the shoot. Local officials were happy to accommodate his team and assist in routing traffic around the production on Franklin Avenue. Nisenson called out Mayor Peter Doro and Police Chief Keith Dworkin for their help.

“I’ve never had a mayor of a town be so involved and so helpful,” Nisenson said. “It’s a great place to shoot.”