Last year New York City hosted 276 films, 100 television productions, and shooting days hit an all-time high of 34,718. In order to maintain the smooth flow of productions, the DGA’s Eastern AD/UPM Council and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (MOFTB) conducted the seminar How To Keep New York Film Friendly at the DGA New York boardroom on Saturday, May 19, 2007.

MOFTB Commissioner Katherine Oliver, members of her staff and the NYPD TV Unit were present to establish a dialogue with DGA members and answer questions on how to balance the needs of the production companies and those of the communities in which they work. Oliver gave a PowerPoint presentation illustrating some common problems and how to avoid them, and sample materials from the MOFTB were distributed. The seminar was the first part of an ongoing relationship the MOFTB hopes to build with DGA members to continue the dialogue for mutually solving problems that arise in the effort to keep New York film friendly.