Kaufman Aatoria Studios (KAS) is a film studio in Queens, NY. Created in 1920, Paramount Pictures originated here & numerous Silent & Sound Films have been produced. Sesame Street has been produced here for decades, along w/ other favorites including The Bourne Legacy, Succession, The Flight Attendant, American Horror Story, etc. Many good movies, tV shows, etc. have been produced at KAS. KAS has 500,000 square feet of sound stage as well as production offices, stages, and a backlot. The "NY On Location - Behind the Scenes Production" Event was held at KAS on 9/15/24. This event was a collaborative effort via Kaufman Astoria Studios, Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI), etc. Highlights During the Event: Celebrity Trailers - where they stay during downtime in-between filming. The trailers were beautiful - living / dining room areas, w/ bathroom / shower areas & a bedroom. Grip, Canera & Prop Trucks - Prop Specialists discussed all kinds of cool props that they may have to find, purchase, and create for shows / films. In one prop truck , there was plastic ice, police -themed props, etc. Prop "Bomb Tubes" & prop "Blood Rig Kits" as well as types of other fascinating props were in these trucks. A Prop Specialist explained that he is currently working on a Netflix Series & talked about the process around sometimes having to get props for lots of "extras" that may be in a tv show / movie scene. So Cool! Hair & Makeup Trailers - Prosthetics, wigs, hair pieces, make-up, etc. were there to view. There was a movie / film makeup artist who explained this being her career for years. She described her humble beginnings doing makeup on Broadway, as well as her process for creating makeup for characters on different tv shows & film scenes. Movie / Film Hair Stylists did live demos on people and explained their hairstyling process for creating a "bald head" as well as steps to style hair a specific way before putting wigs on actors/ actresses. Special Effects that created artificial inclement weather. The snow looked so real! Their were also camera cars w/ visual equipment attached that are used for "car" scenes as well as for "high-speed" chase scenes. So Dope! Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) gave visitors a general admission discount during the event. Food was available for purchase w/ in MoMI's Cafe located on the 1st floor. All in all, it was a cool event as it gave us an opportunity to get an inside, behind the scenes look on the various things that need to come together to create shows & films. Website - kaufmanastoria.com General Inquiries - info@kaufmanastoria.com Go onto their website to view information on "Recently Shot" Shows, films, TV Series @ Kaufman Astoria Studios. read more

See all

Came here for a studio production and it was wonderful. Attentive staff, great space and incredible ambiance. Security guards are also highly helpful for any questions you have. This place is the go to for high end production, would highly recommend. A gem in Queens! read more

Kaufman Studios is a one of a kind venue in the heart of Astoria. It has been utilized for a variety of things, especially movie making, but also has been the site of festivals, fairs, community events, and outdoor gatherings. Kaufman means many things to different people, but ultimately, it is a treasure of the borough. While it might not seem obvious to first timers, there is a ton of history here. Constructed in the 1920s for small projects and films, this studio has seen plenty of actors come and go. Throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s it was home to the US Army, where they would make training films for the military until the early 70s, where it was finally recognized as a historical site in NYC. In the 80s, it provided scenes to Goodfellas, Carlito's Way as well as musicals such as Hair and The Wiz. Several scenes of mainstream movies throughout the last two decades have been shot here and it continues to serve as a place for films, television, and various projects that eventually the see the light of day. For budding actors, this is a place I've seen auditions take place here as well. I still have yet to attend one. And did you know it is still the *only* place in all of NYC with a backlot? Well now you do. Things are only looking brighter for Kaufman's future, close to 3 years ago they announced that there are plans to an additional 18,000 square foot sound stage. Kaufman is so legit that at some point it'll become the premiere destination for all film related projects in the borough. read more

My sweetheart and I came here yesterday night for a live television taping of Neil Patrick Harris' new variety show, "Best Time Ever". It was the show's premier episode and the Audience Warmer-Upper told us that we were the best audience he had seen all season. Har har. The space here is really large and seems to be very well-stocked with state-of-the-art equipment. The interior studio's walls are lined with industrial quality sound proofing material. I joked around about how if someone were to pick me up and throw me against the wall I would be okay because of said sound-proofing material...it was soft squishy and with a little bit of bouncy-ness...it was also white to off-white and yellowing a but...whoever installed this stuff should have gone with a darker color so that it would better stand the test of time...but I digress... Being a native New Yorker, I've had the opportunity to attend several television show tapings and have even been a Production Assistant for 1 reality show (hey there Project Runway!) and for another show that was a pilot (it was so painfully bad that I'm not even sharing the name of the show. Kate Gosselin and Paula Deen were a part of it though ^___^)...and I've got to say, last night's taping was easily one of the most painless and well-organized tapings I had ever been to. It was a significantly better experience than audience tapings I've attended at television studios in Chelsea, Columbus Circle and Midtown. Yep yep. If you score some tickets to a taping here, I'm pretty confident that they'll actually stick to the set schedule (if you're provided with one, as I was). The only annoying part was at the end of the show when they filmed promos and brief adverts for future episodes with us there. They weren't filming us nor did they need anyone to clap, hoot or holler so it was really lame that they wouldn't let us go. ...It was also lame that there were no giveaways (for a show premier, c'mon now :-/) and that there were such obvious "plants" in the the audience...but then again, the taping was live and such is the magic of live television. It also wasn't Kaufman Astoria Studios' fault... Another thing that excited me about being here last night is that this is also where they film "Sesame Street" and "Orange is the New Black"...when it's not a street or house scene. I also love, love, love that something like this exists just up the block from my apartment. Almost reminds me of the big studios in Burbank, California...but Kaufman isn't thereat big...yeahhh...5 Yelpy Yelp stars. Thanks for the fun Tuesday night Kaufman Astoria Studios! read more

See all

"Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?" Yes I can. To get to Sesame Street, you have to go to Astoria, in Queens. Sesame Street has been taped within Kaufman Astoria Studios since 1992. The television series and most of the home video releases are taped here. KAS Music and Sound studio is also located there, recording all of the audio needs for Sesame Street. My family and I were very fortunate to tour the studios and view a taping of a segment with Gordon and Susan at 123 Sesame Street. read more

See all

One of the better studios in town. Convenient to the subway via the Broadway stop (N) or Steinway stop (R). This is where the magic that is Sesame Street happens. It's also home to dozens of films and TV shows through the year, but come on. Sesame Street. Nuff said. While it's not the most hi-tech studio, it is a very pleasant work environment. And if you have a walkaway lunch, Broadway and Steinway have plenty of eating options. read more

CLASSIC FILMING STUDIO. It is not as large as Steiner Studios over in Brooklyn. It is however WONDERFUL to work in if you get the opportunity to. read more

Nice and clean, very easy to get there, I love coming here with my family. Some time parking is difficult here but this is the only place I like to come to movie, very clean and roomies. read more

Is in the heart of everything. Nice atmosphere, rooftop parking. Restaurants in any direction...

I like this movie theater because it is historic and it is not crowded. Each theater is big with huge seats and a lot of leg room. I like it they have dinner combo special with Uno's across the street! read more

So this review is about the best time ever which is filmed at Kaufman studios. It's Neil Patrick's new show and you can get tickets either thru 1iota or todaytix app. I ended up getting priority tickets from 1iota which meant we were the first group of people inside. I got there around 7pm even though check in ends at 830pm. We were wrist banded, went thru a metal detector and waited in a line. I don't know if it was because the forecast said there would be rain but we were under blue canopies. It was super humid and hot and waiting underneath that for about 2 hours was no Bueno. Eventually they gave us tickets ( they kept all the parties together) with assigned seating. You can either sit in the balcony or floor and each ticket had a different color. They escorted everyone in based on their ticket color. Good thing the ac was on blast inside because it was so gross outside. We ended up with seats next to the special guest booth who was Tyler perry! There's plenty of photo opportunities before the show starts. The comedian went on at 930 pm to warm up the crowd. Since this is a live show our laughter and clapping is all they've got. But once the show starts we were told to power down our phones. All the segments were very random and included people from other places. I'm not sure how long the show will last but it's cool to say that I got to see NPH and was on national tv! read more

Good movie selection, needs more parking spaces. On of the best movie theaters in the area.

The studio is able to handle major studio feature films as well as indies, and is home to several ongoing TV series. It is a huge facility with various stages, studios, and offices, and storage rooms. The location is near the N, Q, R, and M subway lines, as well as many restaurants and other businesses. You can see all the delicious places we order lunch from in my reviews. We have had mouse problems, which counts against the studio. I don't know why Yelper Andy G says there are earthquakes though. Messing around? read more

Having been on a tour before and failing to review it, figured a return to the grounds out back for The Astoria Flea & Food Night Market at Kaufman Astoria Studios was a nice time to give it props. read more

Avoid KAS Music & Sound at all costs. I'm a professional musician and audio engineer and I booked the recording studio (which is the most expensive studio I have ever paid for) because I had a very large project to record (19 musicians live & simultaneously.) While Joe C. was very charming, the charm wore off when I had to have an argument everytime I needed a new mic set-up. Worst headphone mixes I've ever heard. Tracks were bussed improperly... now I have vocals in my Floor Tom mic track. Thanks for the most stressfull recording experience I've ever had in my 15 + years as a professional musician. Never again. Also he booked a piano tuner in the middle of our paid session. So we paid for 3 hours of studio time to watch the piano get tuned AND had to pay the piano tuner as well. They are overpaid and underworked. read more

Combos start as high as $17, but money isn't an issue this is truly one of the better theaters in NYC. If you're looking to go into the city then this is a great choice. Free refills on your popcorn and drinks too. Stop charging $4 for M&Ms tho, that's wild. read more

I love how convenient it is to get to compared to Steiner and some of the other studios. It's a little run down in spots, but it's close to the train and some decent food options. read more

I love the Indian movies they select to show here. I look forward to go every month. If you are looking for a great place to see Indian movies, you must go here. read more

Great studio. Great amount of space. Close to the subway.

I love going to the movies and this place is not the best place to watch a movie, but its close and convenient to where i live. would have rated it higher if it had more cleanliness. read more

helps support the local Queens economy -- i say i like this place now. wait til they take up more street parking.