TV Angel

The New York state legislature recently voted to provide greater tax incentives to entice more television and film productions to shoot in New York. As a native New Yorker, your humble TV Angel could not be happier about the news.

I have a bit of an issue with a TV shows and movies that are set in New York, specifically New York City, but film elsewhere. Why, you might ask? Because people are using the name and image of my city to lne their pockets and not returning any of those dollars to my city.

When a production films in a city, any city, any number of local residents are gainfully employed, from key grips and gaffers to stylists and set dressers. The production’s principals are housed in local hotels, putting much needed tips in the hands of bellhops and housekeeping staff. The cast and crew rely on local transportation and local eateries near the site of filming will see an increase in business.

All of this revenue is denied the city when filming is taken elsewhere by the production companies who lament the costs of doing business in New York. But I think NBC could’ve spared a few pennies from hit shows like Friends and Seinfeld to shoot on location instead of on their west coast studio lots.

Hopefully the new tax breaks will mean more production companies will show some ‘heart’ for my hometown, and not just make gratuitous use of the NYC brand.

BTW, here are some of this season’s show that ‘heart’ New York:

• Lipstick Jungle
• Gossip Girl
• New Amsterdam
• Law & Order
• Law & Order: SVU
• Law & Order: CI
• 30 Rock