"Bright Lights,
Big City"
by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
All over town this fall, it's lightsÉcameraÉand
action, with more than 30 feature films and prime time television
programs in production in New York City. In fact, earlier this
month, the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
issued a single-day record of 152 permits to film movies, television
shows, commercials, documentaries, fashion shoots and other
productions in the Big Apple. One of the nation's current top-grossing
films, Elf, was shot in New York City. And for the first six
months of this year, feature film production in New York was
up nearly a third compared to the same period last year; television
production was up by more than half.
All of that is great news for New York-for a lot of reasons.
The movies and television shows that are made here reach audiences
around the world, and are constant reminders of what an exciting
and dynamic city New York is. That's great free advertising.
Film and television production is also a major part of our
city's economy, employing some 100,000 people and generating
$5 billion of economic activity each year. And that's money
that gets spent in stores, lumberyards and other neighborhood
businesses throughout the city.
Good as those numbers are, we're
working to make them even better. Under Commissioner Katherine
Oliver, the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
has streamlined the process of obtaining film permits, making
it faster and easier to get production started. She's also
inspired a spirit of teamwork among producers, unions and
City government. Upgrades to the City infrastructure around
the Brooklyn Navy Yard have led to $28 million in private
investment to create state-of-the-art film production facilities
there. That will produce thousands
of new jobs in our city-as will the planned expansions of the
Silvercup and Kaufman-Astoria film studios in Queens. In addition,
last month, our Administration named film and recording super-star
Jennifer Lopez and others to a Latin Media and Entertainment
Commission; their job will be to help make New York the capital
of the fast-growing Latin media and entertainment business.
Movie and television production are a big part of what gives
New York its special excitement. They have long and legendary
histories here-and our Administration is making sure they've
got great futures in our city as well.
Before closing, I want to remind everyone who's listening
that recently morning's rush hour, the single-occupancy-vehicle
restrictions that have been in place for the last two years
on crossings to Lower Manhattan will be lifted. Those crossings
are the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and the
Holland and Brooklyn-Battery Tunnels. The restrictions were
enacted to reduce traffic in Lower Manhattan and permit recovery
and reconstruction following 9/11; lifting the restrictions
is more proof that Lower Manhattan is coming back strong.#
