Press Release
August 12, 2015
State Parks
Randy Simons | Dan Keefe
(518) 486-1868 | news@parks.ny.gov
NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment
Marybeth Ihle
(212) 669-7742 | mihle@media.nyc.gov
Free Summer Movie Night in New York State and City Parks
New York State and New York City today announced a free outdoor movie night for families in Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany and New York City as part of a statewide celebration of filming in New York State. Together, the Governor's Office for Motion Pictures and Television Development, the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and New York City Parks are hosting screenings of the movie Big on Saturday, August 15 in four popular parks.
The 1988 film Big, with scenes filmed both in New York City and upstate New York, will be shown at the locations below. Screening locations and start times at the three state parks and the New York City park are:
- Buffalo Harbor State Park in Buffalo at 8:15 p.m.;
- Green Lakes State Park near Syracuse at 8:00 p.m.;
- Thacher State Park near Albany at 8:00 p.m.; and
- St. Nicholas Park in New York City at 8:00 p.m.
"The film and television industry is a key component of New York State's economic development strategy, injecting billions of dollars into the economy and creating thousands of industry jobs for New Yorkers," said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. "New York is a major hub for the film industry, and our free outdoor movie night series is an excellent way to applaud the success of film in the Empire State while screening iconic films in our state's great parks."
"From the magic of Niagara Falls, to the energy of mountain ranges that decorate our skylines, we're fortunate to be surrounded by varied and picture-perfect landscapes in New York State, many of which have been the backdrops for various television shows and films," said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. "The Governor's Office for Motion Pictures and Television Development continues to be a spectacular partner in featuring our state park system, assisting with our goal of encouraging everyone to get outside and explore. I'm pleased to partner with them this year to offer families a chance to enjoy our great state both on the movie screen and with a night in our beautiful parks."
"New York State's film industry creates a huge economic footprint, and by working with local communities throughout the state, productions have the opportunity to film at a variety of locations all across the state," said Gigi Semone, Executive Director, New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development. "This is our third time partnering with State Parks and screening the beloved film Big, an iconic filmed-in-New York movie, perfectly illustrates all that New York has to offer."
"New York City is home to some of the most iconic architecture in the world, instantly recognizable to audiences who have seen the City featured on screen," said Commissioner Cynthia López, New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. "Each year, we help hundreds of films and TV shows achieve their cinematic vision when they film on location in New York City, and it's a pleasure to be a part of this special night of screenings."
"We are happy to bring outdoor movies to families and friends in each of the five boroughs and want them to best enjoy the experience," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "We encourage everyone to come watch films in NYC Parks."
Many major film productions have touted New York State's Film Production Tax Credit Program as a major factor when choosing the Empire State as the location to film. Since 2004, 1,243 film and television projects have participated in the program and are estimated to have generated more than 967,000 new hires and over $19 billion in new spending in New York State. In 2014 alone, 194 film and television projects applied for the program and are projected to spend approximately $2.7 billion while hiring more than 165,000 individuals in New York State.
About State Parks
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 62 million people annually. A recent study found that New York State Parks generates $1.9 billion in economic activity annually and supports 20,000 jobs. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.
About the New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development
The New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development (MPTV), a division of Empire State Development (ESD), offers film, television and commercial productions and post production tax credits for qualified expenditures in New York State. The office also serves as a liaison between production companies and city and local governments, state agencies, a network of statewide contacts, local film offices and professional location scouts and managers. For more information on filming in New York State or the Film Production and Post Production Tax Credit Programs, please visit www.nysfilm.com.
About the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment
The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment serves as the one-stop shop for the entertainment industry, promoting the City of New York as a thriving center of creativity, issuing permits for productions filming on public property, and facilitating production throughout the five boroughs. Today, the City hosts record levels of episodic television series as well as hundreds of films each year. Last year, more than 240 films shot in New York City, and during the 2014-2015 season, 46 episodic series were produced in the City. The City's production industry employs 130,000 New Yorkers and contributes billions of dollars to the local economy. To learn more, visit nyc.gov/film.
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