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Lights, Camera, Action As Yonkers Courts Hollywood

YONKERS, N.Y. – Yonkers: the new Hollywood on the Hudson? City Hall says yes.

Mayor Mike Spano announced Wednesday his office is slashing fees for movie producers and taking the “bureaucracy” out of filming, hoping a streamlined process will mean more time for Yonkers on the silver screen.

Standing inside Yonkers Stage, a 32,000-foot warehouse and movie studio, Spano unveiled the city’s recently launched Office of Film and Photography and its new website: filmyonkers.com.

The hope, officials said, is to turn Yonkers into a film-friendly city and a premiere destination for Hollywood.

“We are sending a simple message today: Yonkers is open for filming,” Spano said at the press conference where he was joined by state and city officials.

Behind the group, crews continued work on the set of “A Winters Tale,” a movie starring Hollywood A-listers Will Smith, Russell Crow, Colin Farrell and William Hurt.  Filming of the movie is set to begin inside Yonkers Stage later this year.

The return of the stars is a welcome site for a city that has hosted blockbusters like “Hitch,” “I am Legend” and “American Gangster,” but has seen declining interest from the movie industry in recent years.

In 2002, movie and film crews were in Yonkers on a weekly basis, spending more than 120 days in the city, Spano said.

But by 2011, that number had nosedived with just 35. Part of the blame was the pricey permits and fees the city began charging producers who were looking to film in the city, according to the mayor.

“I think the city took for granted that they could put these fees in place and individuals would still participate,” he said.

In an effort to lure Hollywood back, Yonkers has decided to eliminate certain fees and expedite the permit process. By opening the door to movie crews, and their multi-million dollar budgets, Spano said he hopes the city will see a significant economic boost with more spending at area businesses.

“We want to lead the nation out of this economic recession,” he said.

Roger Paradiso, co-chairperson of Greenwich Street Production, the owner and operator of Yonkers Stage, said Wednesday the city has taken a good first step in its efforts to market Yonkers as a hot-spot for Hollywood action.

And fortunately, the city isn't a tough sell to producers looking for an alternative to filming in New York City, he said.

“It’s easier to work up here and less expensive and that’s kind of been the formula,” Paradiso said.

Spano said now, it was simply a matter of spreading that message.

“If you go out and show the world what Yonkers has to offer, we tend to be the choice,” he said.

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