Darren Aronofsky, John Krasinski, Spike Lee, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Schumer and Celine Song Appear in New PSA, "Make it in NY," from NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

Video with NYC Filmmaking Elite Encourages Production, Promotes Benefits of Filming on the Streets and Iconic Backdrops of NYC

Watch now at nyc.gov/MakeitinNY, and on social media Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads

New York – June 4, 2026 – The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), currently celebrating the 60th anniversary of becoming the first City Agency ever created to support the film & TV production industry, is proud to unveil a brand-new PSA video, “Make it in NY”, featuring some of the most well-known NYC based filmmakers -- Darren Aronofsky, John Krasinski, Spike Lee, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Schumer and Celine Song -- on why they believe NYC to be the greatest location in the world for filming. The video, which debuted today on MOME’s website and social media platforms, will also be shown in shorter format ahead of screenings at the Tribeca Festival as part of their 25th anniversary celebration.

“Film and television production is one of New York City's most important economic engines — creating good-paying union jobs, generating billions in local spending and driving business to every borough,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “When we fight to keep production in New York, we're fighting for working people: the crew members, craftspeople, caterers and drivers whose livelihoods depend on this industry.”

“New York's film and TV industry is a major driver of our economy, supporting tens of thousands of jobs across every borough,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “When we make it easier to film here, we're investing in the crews, the small businesses, and the New Yorkers who bring these productions to life."

“New York City is open for production, and our office is raising the bar to make filming here easier, more collaborative, and more competitive than ever,” said Commissioner Rafael Espinal of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “When filmmakers like Darren Aronofsky, Spike Lee, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Schumer, and Celine Song talk about why they continue to choose New York, people listen. You can’t replicate the energy, crews, authenticity, or scale of this city anywhere else. We encourage all filmmakers and actors to support the people who make this industry possible by making sure the world knows there’s no place like New York to tell a story.”

This video, directed by MOME’s Deputy Commissioner of the Film Office, Kwame Amoaku, complements additional recent efforts by MOME to ease film production on the streets, public spaces and iconic locations of NYC, and attract future productions, all with the goal of creating jobs for New Yorkers and supporting local businesses. Those efforts include:

• Introduction of a new & improved Film Permit Application System, in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, that productions use to apply for permissions to film on public property in NYC. The new and improved application portal improves user experience, decreases application time, and increases efficiency.
• Distribution of a new film production industry specific newsletter that will provide the crews, productions, and stakeholders of NYC’s world-famous film & TV industry with timely updates, operational guidance, and important information related to filming on the public streets and iconic backdrops of NYC.
• Continuation of the signature “Made in NY” Production Assistant (PA) Training program, which in partnership with Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI), has prepared underemployed and diverse New Yorkers for entry-level positions in film and television production since its creation in 2006 and will continue to do so when the next cohort launches on June 1. The program recently celebrated its 20th anniversary where graduates from all 83 of the program’s cohorts were invited to network with potential employers at an industry summit and participate in an Alumni Film Festival.

Future efforts of MOME include production of a PLAYBOOK, to include information on all City agency’s permit systems, including Parks, FDNY, DOT, SAPO and more, and serve as a one-stop-shop for all production questions about agency permissions, compliance and community engagement, and creation of a dynamic location DATABASE, to feature available public filming locations that are underutilized across the five boroughs with corresponding details and photos, in an effort to disperse filming activity.