Important Stuff

As you may have heard, the New York State tax credit for film/television production has dried up. Without the incentive program, the television shows and feature films that have migrated to NYC to shoot may be packing their bags. So far this pilot season has shown not one new show planning to shoot in New York, and it's not because people are tired of aerial shots of the Brooklyn Bridge - it's because it's too pricey to shoot here without these incentives. With no new business in town, we'll be looking at one massive group of unemployed actors, writers, directors, editors, casting directors, producers... you get the idea.

Unless Governor Paterson reviews and approves more funds for the program this coming April, it's going to hit the fan.

Even if you don't work in the industry, the decision still affects you. When productions leave New York, less spending occurs within the state, and we all know what less spending does to the economy, right?

Click here to sign the Petition to save New York State's Film and TV Tax Credits.

Good News for NY Actors

The actors of New York are likely breathing a collective sigh of relief today: NBC has announced that all three Law & Orders will be back with new episodes this fall. Criminal Intent will move to NBC's cable channel, USA, while "original recipie" and SVU will remain on NBC.


NBC brings more good news with the full-season pickup of new series Lipstick Jungle, based on the book by Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell. The series will tape here in NY, and stars Kim Raver, Brooke Shields, and Lindsay Price as numbers 8, 12, and 17 of "New York's 50 Most Powerful Women", according to the NY Post. If it stays true to the book, one is a fashion designer, another is a high-powered film executive, and the third is editor-in-chief of an important magazine. Some familiar names are involved - Scott Cohen (Losing Louie), the adorable lil' Sarah Hyland of Grey Gardens, Andrew McCarthy. David Alan Basche and Matt Morrison are both listed as playing the same role - wonder who the real "Mike Harkness" is. Also featured is my friend, the very funny Seth Kirschner, who people seem to recognize from web-based show We Need Girlfriends. I'm learning from him that a LOT of people watch this show via youtube and myspace - more than I ever thought were watching webisodes. Is web tv finally approaching the tipping point?

The novel Lipstick Jungle is a fun jaunt, and I still (embarassingly) find myself watching the reruns of SATC on TBS, even though I've seen each episode approximately eleven millionty times. Could this be a made-in-New-York show with sticking power? Fingers crossed.