Press Release Archives #066-97 Increase in Production, Films and TV

Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 4, 1997

Release #066-97

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958, Kim Serafin (212) 788-2958 or Julianne Cho (212) 489-6710, ext.230

MAYOR GIULIANI AND MICHAEL J. FOX ANNOUNCE RECORD TELEVISION AND FILM PRODUCTION IN NEW YORK CITY

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Patricia Reed Scott, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting announced that for the third consecutive year New York City has set a record for film and television production with shooting days reaching an all-time high and direct expenditures soaring over $2 billion. The Mayor was joined by Michael J. Fox, star of ABC's Spin City and Gary David Goldberg, the show's co-creator and Executive Producer, for the announcement.

"There's no place in the world that can match the creative energy, spirit and vitality of New York City. From major studio features to television series to independent films, New York has fast become the ideal place for filmmakers and television series to set up shop," said Mayor Giuliani. "Since our city is safer and cleaner than it's been in over two decades, production in the TV and film industry has climbed to record highs -- this means more jobs and opportunities for hard working New Yorkers."

FILM

( Direct expenditures for film and television production in New York City rose 55% from $1.434 billion in 1993 to $2.227 billion in 1996.
( The overall increase in production shooting days rose from 15,262 in 1993 to 21,286 in 1996 with the strongest surges in motion picture and television production.
( 201 films were made in 1996, compared with 175 in 1995 and 157 in 1994.
( Motion picture production shooting days grew to 4147 in 1996 from 1715 in 1993, an increase of 142%.

In 1996, New York-made hits such as Ron Howard's Ransom, starring Mel Gibson and Rene Russo, and The First Wives' Club, starring Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, topped $100,000,000 each at the national box office. Other New York-made films included One Fine Day, The Preacher's Wife, Sleepers, The Mirror Has Two Faces, The Associate, Everyone Says I Love You, the independent hits Big Night and I Shot Andy Warhol and the recent Sundance prizewinners, Sunday and Hurricane. Other motion pictures that are still filming in the City or that have recently wrapped include Richard Donner's Conspiracy Theory, Taylor Hackford's The Devil's Advocate and James Mangold's Copland.

Recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that motion pictures are number two in the top five areas of job growth in the City, rising by 6,600 jobs in 1996 to a total of 43,900 full-time jobs. These jobs are in addition to the free-lance shooting days reflected in calculations from projects served on location by the Mayor's Office of Film. Employment figures from labor unions in the City are showing their highest numbers ever for the past two years.

TELEVISION

( Television shooting days rose 79%, to 6,439 in 1996, from 3,598 in 1993, with the primary surge from prime-time television series. New York has not had so many prime-time series since the late 1960's.

With the advent in 1996 of ABC's Spin City, Dreamwork's first series, and CBS' Cosby, situation comedies came back in strength. In daytime, The Rosie O'Donnell Show debuted to extraordinary acclaim. The networks will launch two other new drama series in March, when Feds debuts on CBS and Prince Street opens on NBC. A third new prime-time series, Linda Gottlieb's 13 Bourbon Street, shooting at Kaufman Astoria Studios, is expected to air on Fox Television in 1997.

Other New York based prime-time series are the long-running Law & Order, New York Undercover and news programs including ABC's Prime Time Live and 20/20, Dateline NBC, CBS 60 Minutes and 48 Hours.

"New York has hosted not only the first Dreamworks television series thanks to Michael J. Fox and Gary David Goldberg, but also the first Dreamworks feature, due out this summer, The Peacemaker, starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman. We are very fortunate that Michael J. Fox, longtime loyalist Bill Cosby and an irrepressible New Yorker like Rosie O'Donnell insisted on making their terrific shows here," said Commissioner Scott.

COMMERCIALS AND DOCUMENTARIES

Commercials, long a key factor in film work in the City, are the third largest category of production with total shooting days in 1996 at 4436. Documentaries were up to 1325 from 531, largely due to the ongoing documentary project SHOAH, which is funded by Steven Speilberg. Student films also rose from 1995's 1475 to 2570 shooting days in 1996.

Michael J. Fox, currently starring in and producing Spin City, has starred in such films as Back to the Future and its sequels, The American President, Casualties of War, and Bright Lights, Big City. He is best-known to television audiences for his triple Emmy Award-winning portrayal as Alex P. Keaton on the hit series Family Ties. Gary David Goldberg, a native New Yorker, created and Executive Produced the hit television series' Family Ties and Brooklyn Bridge. He has been the recipient of many honors during his career including an Emmy Award as co-producer of Lou Grant and an Emmy Award as writer of the Family Ties episode "'A' My Name is Alex." Goldberg was also instrumental in the establishment of Paramount Studios Child Care Center -- the first on-site facility at any studio.

The Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting can also be accessed on the Internet through NYC.gov, the official New York City World Wide Web site at http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/filmcom/.