SAG-AFTRA NY Spring 2014 • Volume 3 • No. 1
Pilots, you are cleared to land!
New York Production Landscape State Continues to Invest in Employment and Education
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n Wednesday, Feb. 26, New York Local Executive Director Jae Je Simmons attended a press conference with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (see photo on page 2) announcing that four Marvel live-action series and one miniseries will be filming in New York beginning this summer. The 60 one-hour episodes, which will air on Netflix, are expected to create 3,000 jobs, including hundreds for SAG-AFTRA members. Officials characterized this as the biggest film or TV investment ever in New York, and tax incentives were the main reason that Disney (which owns Marvel) decided to locate the shows here. Multi-year tax incentives encourage not just one-time feature film productions, but also television series and long-term investment in post-production facilities and local infrastructure, including the expansion of Steiner Studios in Brooklyn and the brand new Broadway Stages film complex on Staten Island.
The entertainment industry is a key part of Gov. Cuomo’s overall strategy to grow the state’s economy. He has been pushing to diversify the economic base of a city that depends heavily on financial institutions. The economic downturn in 2008, he said, “was a wake-up call for the state of New York… you have to diversify.” The plan seems to be working. The Tonight Show returned to New York after 42 years, and 28 TV pilots are being filmed in the Big Apple this season, including a record 15 broadcast pilots. Of the 34 drama pilots that are filming within the regular cycle, 10 are being filmed in New York. Four years ago, that number was zero. For seven consecutive years, New York had no broadcast comedy pilots; both last year and this year, there were five. This trend is driven not only by tax incentives but also by talent. Many pilots are being top-lined by local continues on page 2 >>>
Letter from NY President Mike Hodge page 3
SAG Foundation Center Opens page 4
BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: Dana Jacobson page 5
“I AM A NEW YORK ACTOR” Joel de la Fuente page 6
Media Center Opens in Brooklyn page 8
PERSPECTIVE: DGA Labor Leaders page 9
Safety on Set page 10