Movie biz leaving New York?

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Evan Thomas

Inactive
According to this article in today's New York Times, movie and TV companies may quit filming in New York, which would mean the loss of one of the state's biggest industries.

It seems that the SAFE act makes it impossible for film studios to use their full range of prop guns in New York. The city is, of course, a prime venue for filming movies and TV shows; According to the article, Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Cuomo have heavily promoted the industry, which created 46,000 jobs in 2011.

"Without clarification that the use of prop guns is still permitted on sets, many of the dozens of productions currently shooting in New York could be forced to go elsewhere,” said Vans Stevenson, the senior vice president for state government affairs at the Motion Picture Association, which is the powerful trade association of the movie business.​
It may not be politically possible to revise the law to exclude movie guns and magazines, either. The article quotes state legislators as saying that they've taken so much heat from constituents over the new law that they're not about to vote again on anything to do with it.

Industry officials said they tried to warn Mr. Cuomo’s office, as it was drafting a gun control bill, that the legislation could affect the film and television production. They were joined by Mr. Bloomberg’s office, which says it told the governor’s office, before the gun measure was passed, that the movie and television industry was concerned.​

Be careful what you wish for, Governor Cuomo...
 
Industry workers say that they need to use real weapons for verisimilitude, that it would be impractical to try to manufacture fake weapons that could fire blanks, and that the entertainment industry should not be penalized accidentally by a law intended as a response to mass shootings.
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So sad. :(
 
The article says that Cuomo moved too fast for an exemption to be added to the law. This is supported by the NY Magazine story on how he came up with the stupid 7 round law. Someone wanted make all mags 5 rounds. Then it was pointed out that there were really only 10 rounders for the evil guns. So genius Cuomo - said lets go for 7. We will first in the country!!

The comments to the article pointed out that he is delusional if he thinks he could win the Presidency.
 
The article says that Cuomo moved too fast for an exemption to be added to the law.
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He had to. If folks had time to take a breath, review the law, and think about it, it would never have passed. It had to be rushed through.

And this is a prime example of what happens when we pass laws in haste and based on emotion.
 
Exactly. It's a fine example of the law of unintended consequences.
The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people—and especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended. Economists and other social scientists have heeded its power for centuries; for just as long, politicians and popular opinion have largely ignored it.​
In this case, a consequence that was anticipated by professionals in the industry -- and pointed out -- was ignored by politicians, with predictable results.
 
Vanya said:
The article quotes state legislators as saying that they've taken so much heat from constituents over the new law that they're not about to vote again on anything to do with it.
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I wonder if the proposed change back to 10-round magazines is also DOA. :confused:
Patriot86 said:
Guess I will have to get used to watching "Law and Order SVU: Dallas"
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Will Bobby, Christopher, Sue Ellen, and John Ross appear?

Sorry, it was inevitable, so I figured I'd get it over with. ;) :D
 
It is what happens when politicians are allowed carte blanche when it comes to legislation and speedy passage. ALL potential legislation should be mandated to be publicly reviewed and debated before a vote; but then NONE of the current progressives' laws would get passed
 
Makes me snicker if I am honest.

Are many TV shows and movies still filmed in Canada to avoid the Union issues?
 
Are many TV shows and movies still filmed in Canada to avoid the Union issues?
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A lot of film and TV work is moving to the Southeast for various reasons I assume Right-To-Work is one of them. As a matter of fact two new production facilities were announced for the Metro-Atlanta area within the last week.

As for the OP I assume Cuomo will issue some type of order to accommodate the industry, but who knows maybe this is just the excuse they need to make an escape. Keep in mind that the same folks that limit freedom via firearms regulations also do so in other areas as well.
 
Are many TV shows and movies still filmed in Canada to avoid the Union issues?
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It wasn't just union issues; it was also hefty Canadian tax incentives and, in the 1980s and 1990s, a weak Canadian dollar.

However, in order to bring NY-based movie and TV crews back from Toronto, NYS has since instituted its own tax incentives, which are fleetingly mentioned in the NYT article. This, plus the increasingly strong Canadian dollar, has moved a lot of NYC moviemaking back to the USA, although some movies and TV shows are still shot in Canada due to (a) the union issues and (b) the sheer cost of housing and feeding out-of-town crew and cast members anywhere near a NYC shoot.

All this being said... keep in mind that this debate is arguably somewhat disingenuous on the part of the entertainment industry, as many shootout scenes in recent movies have the muzzle flash and flying shell casings added using CGI, allowing the crews to use cheaper and safer Airsoft and/or dummy guns. The movie producers may not really want the restrictions rolled back; they may be angling for bigger tax incentives as "compensation." :rolleyes:
 
I can foresee shootouts in movies filmed in NYC with everybody using flintlocks. That sounds real exciting.
 
I do recall from when I was living in NYC, Mayor Koch (rest him), made a point of being open and inviting to film crews. While this did play havoc with traffic and such, it did help the local economy greatly.

Pity that the bigotry against firearms and, more to the point those who enjoy them, has become such that politicians and others are happily pushing honest business away from their states and localities. But, I suppose that is the very nature of irrational hatred. ;)
 
New film-TV productions, new Tonight Show...

To my limited knowledge, the new NY state gun laws allow exceptions for weapons/props for film-TV-media productions.
Hollywood won't leave New York or New York City. Mayor Bloomberg has a new incentive plan for film-TV work.
If you are not aware, NBC is moving the Tonight Show from Los Angeles CA to New York City. ;)
Jimmy Fallon will now host & the city plans to get a lot of $$$ from the NBC changes.

I'd add that CGI(computer generated images) & SFX(special effects) are advanced enough that gun fights or muzzle flashes are now a lot safer.
These scenes are still a bit hacky to me, :rolleyes:.

CF
 
To my limited knowledge, the new NY state gun laws allow exceptions for weapons/props for film-TV-media productions.
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I've read the new law several times over, and I haven't seen any entertainment industry exemptions whatsoever.

Can you provide a citation?
Hollywood won't leave New York or New York City.
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They have before, in the 1990s. See my prior post.

If you don't pay close attention to the film industry, you may not realize the sheer number of NYC-based movies and particularly TV shows that have been shot in Canada. Think about a TV show that starts with an overhead tracking shot of the Brooklyn Bridge, followed by a street scene with the actors talking. The overhead shot is stock footage. The street is in Toronto. :)

Another common trick is to include a few scenes with the actors in front of prominent NYC landmarks. Those scenes were often shot out-of-sequence in one day to minimize the hotel and catering bills. Everything else- Toronto. :)
 
Similarly, a lot of "New England" scenes are filmed in Nova Scotia, and a lot of "Seattle" scenes are filmed in Vancouver, BC (You can tell by looking at the Space Needle).
 
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