Lights, Cameras … Big Bucks! NJ Not Hollywood, But Still Reels in Show Business

NEWARK — The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission is well into another busy year, coordinating film and video projects statewide.

Commission Executive Director Steve Gorelick says the 919 film, TV and other productions done in Jersey last year put an additional $73 million into the state's economy. He says part of it is location, location, location.

"We are a very compact state, and yet we such a great variety of locations and terrains within that compact geography."

That geography and strategic location also help.

"We are centrally located between New York and Philadelphia, which is very advantageous, and it makes it easy for production companies to come here and do the work that they want to do. We have an extensive road system, so that it is easy to get from one place to another very easily."

Gorelick says New Jersey also has an incredibly deep talent pool.

"Industry people live here and work here; you do not have to import them. We have probably the second-best talent pool in the country. Los Angeles probably being the deepest."

"We had 381 commercials film here last year, and some very, very big campaigns shoot here. All of the biggest companies. New Jersey has always been popular for commercial production and remains so to this day."

Since its beginning in 1978, the state Motion Picture and Film Commission has helped put more than $2 billion into New Jersey's economy.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor at New Jersey 101.5

Also on Lite Rock: