Film production space increasingly in demand

Studio space for film and television productions is scarce as a record number of productions head to New York City. And the city is happy to accommodate the film industry, as they estimate local productions support around 4,000 businesses.

“We have to work hard to keep up with the demand for stages and production facilities,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement received by The Real Deal today announcing 45,000 additional square feet of soundstage space opening in Brooklyn. 

The reason for the surge in interest in soundstage space was the state’s renewal of a 30 percent tax credit for productions that shoot in New York a year and a half ago. The statement announced the opening of five new soundstages at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, near the Navy Yard, and $500,000 in training programs to help New Yorkers find work in the film industry.

Silvercup Studios, in Long Island City, where shows such as “Gossip Girl” and “Unforgettable” are filmed, has had to turn away three pilots already this season, Crain’s reported yesterday.

The number of shows that shot in New York City in 2011 was 23, up from just nine a decade ago, previously published reports indicate. — Guelda Voien