Empire State Development (ESD) has announced that 19 major network series will film in New York State this year, including four new series. The series activity was disclosed this week at the 2019 network upfronts, the presentations given by major networks to promote new and renewed series that will be part of their fall schedules. As of today, an additional 25 series distributed by streaming services, premium cable services or other broadcast companies have started filming or are confirmed to film in New York State. All series are participating in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program.
Empire State Development president, CEO and commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “The film and TV production and postproduction industry supports tens of thousands of jobs in the Empire State every year, and the series that film in the state in 2019 will bring an economic boost to local businesses and communities across New York.”
In 2018, through the May upfront week, 20 major network series had committed to film in New York State. These 20 series generated $1.35 billion in New York State spending and 81,000 hires. In total, 203 film and television projects applied for the New York State Film Tax Credit Program last year, estimated to generate more than 211,300 new hires and $3.9 billion in new spending for New York State. For each dollar of production incentive credit ESD issued in 2017, productions spent an average of $4.50 in New York State. The film and TV industry has grown every year since the incentive program was created in 2004.
Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 president Thomas J. O’Donnell said, “The Upfront announcements reinforce that New York is the go to destination for television and episodic content. It assures the continued growth of good paying jobs with good benefits that this industry provides.”
Silvercup Studios CEO Alan Suna said, “Silvercup Studios is excited that there will be so many new and continuing shows in New York. Getting the extension to the New York State Film/TV Tax Credit Program made all the difference. We are thrilled by all of the jobs this creates for New Yorkers and we are looking forward to a great future for New York’s booming film and television production industry.”
“I don’t know where else in the world you could find the wealth of talent and craft that The Good Fight depends upon as we enter into our fourth season,” said Brooke Kennedy, executive producer of The Good Fight for CBS. “Completely made in NY!”
The 15 renewed major network series to film in NY State this year are:
- Blacklist (Produced by Sony, distributed on NBC)
- Blindspot (Produced by Warner Bros, distributed on NBC)
- Blue Bloods (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- Bull (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- FBI (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- God Friended Me (Produced by Warner Bros, distributed on CBS)
- Law & Order SVU (Produced by NBCU, distributed on NBC)
- Madam Secretary (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- Manifest (Produced by Warner Bros, distributed on NBC)
- Mr. Robot (Produced by NBCU, distributed on USA)
- New Amsterdam (Produced by NBCU, distributed on NBC)
- Pose (Produced by Fox 21/Disney, distributed on FX)
- Tell Me A Story (Produced by CBS, distributed on CBS All Access)
- The Good Fight (Produced by CBS, distributed on CBS All Access)
- The Sinner (Produced by NBCU, distributed on USA)
The four new network shows slated for lensing in NY State are:
- Evil (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- FBI: Most Wanted (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
- For Life (Produced by Sony, distributed on ABC)
- Tommy (Produced by and distributed on CBS)
Harvey Weinstein hit with new sex crime charge in New York
Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a new sex crime charge in New York, as he awaits retrial in his landmark #MeToo case.
Details of the new allegations were not immediately available. He was charged with committing a criminal sex act.
The jailed ex-movie mogul has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual.
Prosecutors revealed last week that Weinstein had been indicted on additional sex crime charges that weren't part of the case that led to his now-overturned 2020 conviction. But the new indictment was sealed until his arraignment.
Prosecutors have said that the grand jury heard evidence of up to three alleged assaults — two in hotels in the Tribeca neighborhood and one at a lower Manhattan residential building. The purported incidents took place from the mid-2000s to 2016, prosecutors said.
But it's not clear whether any of those allegations underlie the new indictment.
While bracing for the new charges, Weinstein also is awaiting retrial after New York state's highest court this spring overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women. The high court, called the Court of Appeals, ordered a new trial, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 12.
The Court of Appeals ruled that the then-trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that were not part of the case. That judge's term expired in 2022, and he is no longer on the bench.
Prosecutors have said they'll seek to fold the new charges into the retrial, but Weinstein's lawyers say it should be a separate case.
Weinstein, who also was convicted in 2022 in a Los Angeles rape case, remains behind bars while awaiting his New York retrial.
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