1) Yes. Working with our County Executive George Latimer, we have resumed media production in Westchester County and we are excited to welcome film and television production crews back.
2) As part of Phase Four of the New York Forward plan for reopening, all media production in Westchester must comply with New York State media production health and safety guidelines. We have shared those guidelines on our film office website and social channels. We’re well-versed in the new measures and are always happy to troubleshoot, solve problems, and provide assistance in any way we can.
3) At the beginning of the pandemic, like so many others, our office was operating remotely. Now that Westchester County has reopened, we’re back in the office on a staggered schedule. That said, we’re always available online or on the phone to assist. One thing that hasn’t changed: our website offers tools to location managers and film productions 24/7, including a locations map and gallery and links to municipal and permit contacts. We’re eager to jump start film production and ready to expedite film permits.
4) We’ve already had a few smaller productions wrap successfully since reopening—a commercial and a music video, among them. What we’ve heard is that there’s a lot of upfront work to be done in terms of set up and on-set compliance with new requirements. But once the production work begins, everything feels “normal.” There may be a learning curve as we all adjust to this new normal, but we are open to longer form features. Westchester has a great diversity of locations that offer ample space for crews to safely set up and socially distance. Before COVID hit, we hosted several episodic TV productions for multiple episodes and repeat seasons and we expect — and welcome — their return.
5) Our policies align with the new media production guidelines as outlined in the New York Forward plan. We’re delighted to work alongside our partners at the New York State Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development to support the safe resumption of filming.
6) In Westchester, the film industry is an economic driver and we’re all eager to see cameras rolling again. It’s imperative that we are all operating under the same safety guidelines to ensure we build momentum safely. We’ll be as flexible as possible to meet the needs of the industry and we ask the same of industry professionals.