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BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND
GOVERNOR PATAKI’S INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR THE NEW YORK FILM INDUSTRY

Photographs by Kathryn Kirk

In photo: Borough President Markowitz shares a laugh with Producer Mel Brooks before the press conference.

Today, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz attended a press conference hosted by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Governor George E. Pataki and Steiner Studios Chairman Douglas C. Steiner announcing an agreement to bring the production of Mel Brooks’ latest film, The Producers: The Movie Musical, to Steiner Studios and Brooklyn in the fall. Mel Brooks was also in attendance.

“The movie industry was born in Brooklyn and so many of its stars were born and raised here,” said Borough President Markowitz. “That’s why I am so excited that, with today’s announcement, movie production is back in Brooklyn-big time. I am especially pleased that Williamsburg, Brooklyn-born Mel Brooks is the first filmmaker to get the ball rolling in establishing Brooklyn as the premiere filmmaking center in the East Coast.”

The film will be one of the first to take advantage of New York State’s new film and television incentive program, the Empire State Film Production Credit program, which was signed into law by Governor Pataki at the event, with the enthusiastic support of the Brooklyn Assembly and Senate delegation. The program will provide tax incentives to feature films and episodic television shows that do a majority of their filming on qualified New York State soundstages, and allows New York City to provide additional tax incentives to films and television programs produced in the five boroughs with the “Made in New York Incentive Program.”

Borough President Markowitz applauded the initiative and its tremendous potential for creating jobs in a variety of industries, including catering, retail, crafts and tourism, and expressed his gratitude to Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, the Steiner family, Speaker Sheldon Silver, State Senator Joe Bruno who was represented by State Senator Marty Golden, the Brooklyn delegations of the Assembly and Senate, and especially Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.