A new report has shown that despite the industry-wide challenges in 2022 and 2023, film production in Westchester still yielded $2 billion in economic
activity, 6,796 jobs and $656 million in wages during those two years.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “Westchester is a top-tier destination for film production thanks to our diverse locations, film-friendly communities and a skilled and supportive network of people and businesses. This report underscores the film industry’s vital role in driving our local economy, creating jobs and boosting tourism.”
The Westchester County Tourism & Film department brought together over 130 film production professionals and representatives from Westchester’s
film locations, municipalities, and local businesses that support the sector at the Hudson River Museum on April 16 to highlight Westchester’s
resiliency and collaborative, film-friendly environment. Noting that despite the industry-wide impact of external factors such as the pandemic, two industry
strikes (Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA unions) which combined lasted more than seven months and increased competition from other regions vying for film business, the film sector was still able to contribute $1.9 million in sales tax, $950,000 in lodging-related revenue and over $1 million in permit and property rental fees in 2023 alone. While also adding 425 tourism jobs in Westchester as a result of the film industry.
Westchester County Tourism & Film Director Natasha Caputo said: “Our efforts to attract new business have made an undeniable impact. Our collaborative
approach, spanning the entire County, has proven inviting to filmmakers and visitors alike. What’s more, screen tourism, spurred by the recognition of
our locations in today’s hottest shows, bolsters our economy and affirms that we are creating a welcoming, film-friendly environment.”
The film industry also creates a vibrant community in Westchester. A prime example is the Yonkers Film & Television Production Academy, a new career and technical school opening in September 2024. This collaboration between Yonkers Public Schools and Great Point Studios aims to prepare the next generation of artisans for employment in a variety of arts-based industries.
Recent award-winning and popular productions that filmed in Westchester in 2022 and 2023 included The Crowded Room (Apple TV+); FBI: Most
Wanted (CBS); Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (FX, Hulu); The Gilded Age (HBO); The Girls on the Bus (HBO); Leave the World Behind (Netflix); Life and Beth
(Hulu); Maestro (Netflix); Poker Face (Peacock); Succession (HBO); Severance (Apple TV+); and The White House Plumbers (HBO).
Meeting Industry Needs Director of the “The Gilded Age (HBO), Michael Engler said: “It’s all about location, location, location. [Westchester has] these magnificent homes and estates which bear the unmistakable imprint of the Gilded Age. We also shoot up there because of the space—land, big parking lots, parks,and pathways. People were extremely friendly and gracious. We all love shooting in Westchester.”
