Levin wants city to produce data on movie shoots
Says filming disrupts neighborhoods
New York is starting to rival Hollywood as a place where movies and television shows are filmed. Hundreds of films and television shows are shot on city streets each year, according to the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater, and Television. On its website, the office states that the entertainment industry contributes $7.1 billion to the city’s economy annually and employs 130,000 people.
But the city could be doing a better job of informing the public about the benefits and drawbacks of turning city streets into soundstages, Councilman Stephen Levin said.
Levin (D-Brooklyn Heights-Williamsburg-Greenpoint) said he plans to introduce a bill on Thursday that would require the Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting to release reports on a monthly and an annual basis to provide more transparency about filming in New York City.