With its picturesque views of the New York City skyline and numerous urban and office settings that easily can be transformed into Anytown, USA, the Newport section of Jersey City has long been a desired location for television and film crews.
But it’s never been this hot.
Charles Burton, the external affairs lead for LeFrak, which co-owns nearly all of the Newport properties along with Simon Property Group, said Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration’s efforts to rebuild the sector with aggressive tax credits has made Newport (and all of Jersey City) a big draw for the industry.
is the external affairs lead for LeFrak.
“We have productions coming to us every week, ranging from a series that is on a streaming service to Hollywood movies to commercials,” he said. “They are interested in our outdoor spaces along the waterfront with the Manhattan skyline to street scenes with our own buildings in the background to spots inside our residential and commercial office buildings, like the Newport Center Mall.
“The demand is reaching a fever pitch.”
The demand has led LeFrak and Simon to actively seek out production companies for the first time.
The groups have created a flip book of their top shooting sites and a sizzle reel of finished projects — and they were one of the sponsors at the first-ever New Jersey Film Expo, held in May.
“We attended, hoping to meet even more location scouts and industry professionals so that we can continue to help market Jersey City, but also market the Newport neighborhood of Jersey City,” Burton said.
“It really is a boom right now and it’s really exciting.”
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For all the benefits that come with having a vibrant TV and film industry in the state — from branding of the companies and communities where the production takes place to the ancillary economic benefits that come with so many workers in one area — one thing still stands out: The “wow” factor.
Burton said there has been no pushback from businesses or residences of any kind.
“They love it,” he said.
Burton and his team make sure it’s a winning experience for everyone.
“We always arrange these projects to ensure they have the least impact on our residents and quality of life here,” he said.
That means no well-lit middle-of-the-night shoots that are common in big cities because it’s the only time they can get an empty street and easily do multiple retakes.
There is no weekend work, either. Most crews are in and out in a few days, Burton said.
The crews do bring a lot of business during their stay.
“There has been a lot of excitement in terms of our businesses in Newport,” he said. “We give them ample notice and, oftentimes, the productions will reach out to businesses on their own to arrange purchases.
“So, our hotels do well. Our convenience stores do well. Our restaurants and coffee shops do well. The mall does well. It’s really worked out.”
In order to ensure the area is not overwhelmed by fans, no public notices are given about the shooting. When big stars show up, they can work in peace.
Almost.
“I won’t name any names, but there have been a number of happy moments for residents and visitors who have seen someone famous,” Burton said.
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Burton is quick to credit the governor and the Legislature for establishing a generous film and TV tax credit. But, he notes Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and the city deserve credit, too.
“A local partner in all this has been Jersey City in terms of their assistance in traffic control, providing police and first responders as needed,” he said. “They’re helping to arrange filming in all parts of Jersey City, from the Heights to the West Side to the Waterfront.”
Burton feels the versality of Newport — it has every type of location you need — combined with the fact that so much is under control of the LeFrak-Simon group, has made the area a draw.
“We have so much to offer, including the Newport Center Mall or just shots inside our buildings, whether you want our amenity spaces or just interior shots where you can see the skyline through the windows,” he said.
Burton said he can’t recall an instance where the Newport name itself was used in a production, but that hasn’t taken away from the thrill of seeing the area on the screen.
“It’s a lot of fun to just be able to recognize the location and know that Newport is standing in for a particular urban setting,” he said.
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Burton said Newport can trace production shooting for more than two decades.
“We have agreements in our files going back to the early 2000s,” he said.
The industry suffered when Gov. Chris Christie was in office (he made it clear he did not favor tax credits for the industry). And it was hurt again by the pandemic.
In the past few years, it has been soaring.
“We probably get several requests every month from location scouts,” he said.
How long it will last remains to be seen.
The end of the month will bring a new budget. And November’s election will bring a new governor. Burton is hopeful neither event will bring a new view of the state’s support for the film and TV production sector.
Burton said he understands why Netflix (as well as Lionsgate Studios in Newark and 1888 Studios in Bayonne) grabbed the spotlight. He hopes legislators and the next governor understand how far-reaching an impact the industry has.
“We want our elected officials to understand the benefit of this for the entire state,” he said. “We understand that our state lawmakers have to make difficult financial decisions with the state budget. We just want Trenton to hear that this is beneficial to New Jersey businesses, too.”
For information about LeFrak, go to lefrak.com.
