City Hall to Charge for Film Permits
Since New York City established a film office back in 1966, obtaining permits for filming purposes has been free of charge. But all that is changing, thanks to Mayor Bloomberg. In a move to help alleviate budget woes, City Hall will now charge a onetime $300 fee per production, irrespective of the number of shoot days involved.
This image has been archived or removed.
Most in the film industry don’t seem to care, as the fee is so nominal in the grand scheme. However, it’s low-budget independent films which are not mentioned. Freebies such as street closures and free parking are allegedly not affected.
Rising costs come as the Bloomberg administration has spent years trying to undo New York’s reputation of being a difficult and costly location for film and television shoots. The industry is a $5 billion-a-year business in New York, employing more than 100,000 people.
Several years ago, officials noticed they were losing film projects to other cities that gave tax credits to productions; projects regularly faked classic New York scenes on nondescript urban streets in cities like Toronto, avoiding New York.
Shooting days, which is how the city measures the health of the industry, went up to a high of 34,718 in 2006, compared with 19,309 in 2003. They have slipped slightly in recent years, to 27,251 in 2008.
Recent Stories
Owners of Gertie Eye Market Street for ‘Jackie’ (Updated)
Huertas and Gertie meet for Jackie. That is the narrative for a new restaurant in Two Bridges that features the owners behind both aforementioned establishments. Indeed, Nathan Adler and Rachel Jackson (principals behind Brooklyn’s Gertie) are planning a new Italian-American restaurant at 42 Market Street. The fourteen table concept, dubbed Jackie, will feature “good food […]
Trash Talk: Taking Stock of the Constant Pileup on Rivington Street
The Lower East Side, whose residents are struggling amidst sanitation budget cuts, under-maintained restaurant sheds, and absent landlords and/or vacant leaseholders, suffer the scourge of refuse. One Rivington Street resident walked much of the length of the east-west stretch to find – and document – how trash buildup, stagnating pools of mystery sludge, dilapidated street shanties, and overall […]
Uncapped: Nobody Beats IZ THE WIZ
IZ the WIZ: hands down one of the most illustrious and renowned graffiti writers in and outside of our fair city. May he continue to Rest in Peace. In this installation of Uncapped, guest contributor, Freddy Alva, is back with an excerpt from the new issue of his Black Book Series magazine: Pound for […]
Four Teenagers Arrested with Loaded Guns at PUBLIC Hotel on Chrystie Street
Four teens were busted with three loaded guns inside the PUBLIC Hotel this week. Jarell Swan (19), Anton Philips (18), Linwood Spruill (18), and an unidentified 15-year-old boy were arrested at the swanky, 28-story Chrystie Street lodge on Wednesday, and charged with weapons possession. The four friends were reportedly smoking weed in their room shortly […]
No Return in Sight for Tenants and Businesses Displaced by Mulberry Street Fire
Months after the deadly fire at 78 Mulberry Street, displaced tenants – residential and commercial – are still waiting for renovations to begin. The two-alarm fire broke out at 78 Mulberry Street just before 4:00am on April 15. Roughly one hundred firefighters responded to extinguish the flames, which reportedly spread from the fifth floor. The […]
