Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2007

Last year, thanks to the “Made in NY” tax incentive program, a record number of film, television, commercial and music videos were shot in New York City. So far this year 10 new television pilots are headed into production. According to the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, the "Made in NY" program has created thousands of new jobs by bringing in $2.4 billion worth of business to New York since 2005.

"Just a few years ago, we were seeing films about New York being shot in other cities and countries," said Katherine Oliver, commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting.

In 2006, 276 films were shot in New York City including: “American Gangster,” starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, “I Am Legend” featuring Will Smith, and “Enchanted” starring Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams and Susan Sarandon. Last year, the city assisted 34,718 shoot days on public property, a 10% increase over the previous record set in 2005 when there were 31,578 shoot days.

Equally exciting in New York City are the television pilot programs heading into production with stars like Brooke Shields, Glen Close, director Spike Lee, and producer Jane Raab of “Sex in the City.”

“We have seen an impressive increase in television pilots this year thanks to the Made in NY tax credit program,” said Katherine Oliver, commissioner for the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting. “We look forward to continuing this growth, as television represents a major part of New York City’s entertainment revenues.”

Through the Made in NY initiative, the city has introduced a production assistant training program with Brooklyn Workforce Innovations to prepare New Yorkers for entry-level positions in the entertainment industry. Graduates have moved into a variety of positions including second assistant director, assistant locations manger and assistant production coordinator. The city also has convened a task force on diversity in film, television, and commercial production, and has hosted seminars on careers in entertainment production for people who want to break into the industry.

The Made in NY incentive program includes tax credits, marketing credits and a concierge service. For more information about Made in NY, visit the film and theatre section of the city’s Web site at http://www.nyc.gov/.