“New York City’s production industry continues to grow, with 31,570 location shooting days in 2005, which represents a 35 percent increase from the year prior,” Katherine Oliver, commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, said. “So far this year, numerous commercials have shot in New York, for clients including American Express, Barnes & Noble, FreshDirect, Goldman Sachs & Co., Hershey’s, Honda, Maybelline, McDonalds, Microsoft, the New York Lottery, Panasonic, Pizza Hut, Porsche, Reebok, Sprint, Staples, Verizon, VH1 and Victoria’s Secret.”
Last week, the MOFTB announced the launch of “Hot Shots,” an online photo library on www.nyc.gov/film which gives producers and location managers instant access to a catalog of city-owned beaches, bridges, courthouses, highways, jails, military, police and fire facilities, parks and playgrounds, public spaces, and streets and intersections throughout the five boroughs which the city offers free of charge for production. Go to for more info: http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/news/020306_nyc_hotshots.shtml
On June 7, 2005, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting launched the “Made in NY” discount card, which has grown to include over 400 vendors offering discounts to the production industry. The card lowers the cost of production in New York City and connects local businesses to the revenue generated by our $5 billion entertainment industry. Discounts are now available in 27 categories, including: Banking services, camera, grip and lighting, casting, electronics, construction and set design, digital effects, flowers and gifts, restaurants, hair, makeup and wardrobe, hotels, rental space, music, office supplies, postproduction and training, production crew, props, scenic supplies, stock footage and photography, and travel and transportation. Well over 100 productions took advantage of the “Made in NY” discount card from June-December 2005. Click here for more info: http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/discounts/discounts_home.shtml
NYC continues to offer to commercials such advantages as free permits, free police assistance and free access to city property, as well as sales tax exemptions on production goods and services.
Mindy Kaling and Kate Hudson Take On Pro Basketball In Netflix Series “Running Point”
In Mindy Kaling's new Netflix series, "Running Point, " Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, the new president of the Los Angeles Waves, a pro basketball team that's been run by her family for years. Hudson's character has to prove herself as a woman in a man's world not only to her passed-over brothers, but also to players whose egos need checking and other executives who don't take her seriously.
If Isla's story rings a bell, take a look at the list of executive producers on the 10-episode season dropping Thursday: Among them is Jeanie Buss, the president of the Los Angeles Lakers, who was embroiled in similar turmoil over control of the storied NBA franchise after the death of her father, Jerry Buss.
Buss not only has given the show her blessing, it was her idea said Kaling. Buss was a big fan of "The Office" and approached Kaling with the premise about five years ago. Kaling ended up as the co-creator, writer and executive producer alongside Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen.
"She's in a very serious, stressful job but she loves comedy. She does not take herself seriously," Kaling says of Buss. "That's really rare when someone has that much power and that much to lose."
Jeanie Buss' blessing
In fact, Kaling said, Buss wanted the show to be funny and had "no ego" about using her real life as inspiration.
"She's had some extremely interesting things happen to her as the president of the Lakers. Some of it is she literally dated the coach for many years and she's like, 'Do whatever you want,'" Kaling says, referring to Buss' former relationship with Phil Jackson. "To get that kind of carte blanche, I'd never heard that from someone who is so famous and, you know, pretty private."
Shortly after the news... Read More