The Town of North Hempstead collected a record $86,054 in permit fees from film productions in 2014, nearly twice as much as the $42,288.75. it collected in 2013, town officials said Friday.
“The filming industry continues to be a drawn to North Hempstead because we are a beautiful and diverse area that is infused with unique downtowns and storefronts, waterfront homes, historical mansions and bucolic scenery,” North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in a statement. “Filming here in North Hempstead benefits the local economy and showcases all we have to offer.”
The town issued 70 permits in 2014, doubling the 38 filming permits approved in 2013. North Hempstead issued 22 filming permits in 2012.
Town officials attributed the increase in permits issued and applications due to state tax incentives offered to television production crews who use locations in New York.
North Hempstead officials said 49 television programs filed applications through the state’s Film Production Tax Credit program, which yielded $1.85 billion in spending throughout New York and added 119,000 jobs to the economy.
Several high-profile television series filmed in North Hempstead in the last year, including the CBS series “Blue Bloods” at the Iceland skating rink in New Hyde Park and the USA Network series “Royal Pains” at various storefronts in the Village of Roslyn. Feature films, including “Louder Than Bombs,” starring Jesse Eisenberg, and “The Outskirts,” with Victoria Justice, also used the town as a backdrop.
“It’s very difficult to do a full day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or whatever it may be, driving three hours to the Hamptons,” Mike Fucci, a location scout for “Royal Pains,” told Blank Slate Media in June. “So we look for places like Old Westbury or Muttontown that are very much like the Hamptons but are only 45 minutes from New York City.”
North Hempstead officials said the Old Westbury Gardens and Sands Point Preserve in Port Washington are among the most frequently used sites in the town for film shoots.
Kim Kaiman, the town’s executive director of business and tourism, said in a phone interview with Blank Slate Media Friday that although the town does not handle applications from crews seeking to film within incorporated villages in North Hempstead, her office has often referred locations scouts to the proper contacts in those communities.
“Those figures in no way reflects just how many crews in the industry have come to our area,” she said.
In 2013, the portions of the film “This is Where I Leave You” were shot in a cul-de-sac in Manhasset’s Village of Munsey Park that had previously been used for the CBS series “The Good Wife.”
Last year, North Hempstead locations were also used for the Investigation Discovery program “Scorned: Love Kills.”
Theodora Christakis, a producer with Optomen Productions which produced “Scorned,” said in a statement that her crew has had a positive experience working within the town and alongside Kaiman.
“Every person from the town who helped coordinate our shoot was attentive flexible and helpful. Kim Kaiman’s knowledge of production was tremendously helpful – besides finding a location that fit our visual needs, she was mindful of our production needs as well,” she said. “Overall, we had an excellent and successful experience filming in North Hempstead, and it has definitely become one of my go-to places for location scouting.”
