50 Free Events for 50 Years of Magic

An ad celebrating 50 Years of Magic featuring a behind the scenes shot from the film Across the Sea of Time

In celebration of the 50th anniversary, MOME will present 50 free events throughout the upcoming year that will provide an inside look at New York’s entertainment industry. All 50 events will be open to the public. To see the listing of events, download our app on the iTunes store or browse through our grid below!

50 Years of Magic
Filming in New York City wasn’t always as easy as it is today. In the 1960’s, producers often required upwards of 50 permits to shoot their project, and gaining access to some of New York’s most popular locations was tricky, at best. Producers were required to obtain a permit for every single day of production. Producers were also required to receive permission from a variety of different agencies depending on what they were filming. All of this red tape caused many filmmakers to take their production outside of New York City.

In 1966, Mayor John Lindsay changed this process and gave the Department of Commerce the authority to issue a single permit for filming in City-owned locations and abolished the power of City officials to censor the content of films shot on public property, as long as they didn’t pose a risk to the public or break the law. The results were immediate and enormous. In 1966 alone, production in New York increased by 100 percent over the previous year, bringing an estimated additional $20 million to the City. In 1993, Mayor David Dinkins elevated the office to cabinet status and appointed Richard Brick as its first Commissioner.

Now as a division of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), the Agency continues to market New York City as a prime location. MOME facilitates local production, provides premiere location services and liaises with business decision makers to grow New York's media industry. The Agency works closely with the Movie/TV Unit of the New York Police Department, a special team of officers who monitor scenes involving special stunts or uniformed officers, and ensure pedestrian safety.

As we celebrate 50 years of film and television magic – and 50 years as an Agency - New York City has grown to become one of the world’s largest production centers, serving as host to film, television, commercial, musical and theatrical productions. Today there are more films and television series filmed in New York City than ever before, and the film and television industry contributes nearly $9 billion and over 130,000 jobs to New York City's economy.