The city of Yonkers today (Wednesday, May 28), launched a multiplatform advertising campaign aimed at positioning Yonkers as “Hollywood on Hudson,” the largest film and TV production hub in the Northeast.
The ad campaign includes TV commercials, bus exteriors, billboards, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) car cards on trains and paid and organic social media. The goal is to position Yonkers as “Hollywood on Hudson” to residents and filmmakers alike and to continue to build the brand, which is copyrighted.
“Yonkers isn’t just making movies; we’re making history.,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “This multiplatform campaign showcases our incredible studios and diverse locations, and it celebrates the Yonkers residents whose talent and hard work is fueling our transformation into ‘Hollywood on Hudson.’ Partnering with our local schools that are nurturing the next generation, the future of film and TV is undeniably bright right here in Yonkers, the fastest-growing city in New York state.”
The stars of the campaign are the Yonkers residents who work at Great Point Studios — helmed by CEO Robert Halmi Jr. — whose testimonials are featured in a TV commercial airing throughout the Westchester County area. They include stage manager Jason DiPaola, grip Rohan Corbin, graphic designer Jordan Weaver, stage manager Julia Carriero, campus ambassador Michael Hurtado and custodian Nancy Delgado. Of those employed at Great Point Studios, 60% are either from or live in Yonkers.
According to the Mayor’s Office of Film, permits for filming have generated a total revenue of $5.45 million since 2014 with 1,510 days of filming — at both public and private non-studio properties throughout the city.
Since Great Point Studios opened its Lionsgate Studios in January 2022, it has shot eight productions, including “Dexter” for Paramount+; “Run The World” for Starz; “Raising Kanan,” also for Starz; the Golden Globe-winning TV series “The Penguin,” starring Colin Farrell; and an Apple TV+ series. The top locations for filming were City Hall, the Hudson River Museum, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy and Oakland Cemetery.
Great Point also has studios throughout the city, including 90 Warburton Ave. and 134 Woodworth Ave., which features a 4Wall LED Studio for virtual production. With the new Media Pro campus at 150 North Broadway opening in July, Yonkers will now have 10 stages and six more about to go under construction. When completed, the city will have 245,000 square feet of purpose-built stages and more than 1,000,000 square feet of support space.
Last September, the Yonkers Public Schools held the grand opening of the Robert Halmi Sr. Academy of Film and Television, a groundbreaking new academy that provides students with the skills and hands-on experience necessary for careers in film, TV and the broader media industry. It is named in memory of award-winning TV movie and miniseries producer, and onetime North Salem resident, Robert Halmi Sr. (1924-2014), a Hungarian freedom fighter against the Nazis and Radio Free Europe broadcaster who became a magazine photographer and documentary filmmaker before turning to fictional programming.
A spokesman said the city’s booming film and TV production industry is just one example of why Yonkers is the fastest growing city in New York state and the safest city of its size in the nation. Yonkers also has the highest graduation rate among the state’s big five cities. It recently opened two new schools and is expected to break ground on a new school in 2026.
Also appealing to the film industry: The city is home to more than $5 billion in private economic development, attracting national retail stores and businesses as well as national developers. Yonkers is renovating and creating new open, green spaces, including a new waterfront park in Ludlow. It’s also a leader in sustainability with a goal of zero emissions by 2050. And it’s awaiting a decision on one of the three remaining full gaming licenses in the downstate region.
