Filming at NYCHA

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Latoya Jordan

NYCHA developments are a major part of New York City’s landscape, so it is no wonder that they have played a supporting role in the backgrounds of numerous documentaries, films, and television shows. For more than 20 years, NYCHA’s Audiovisual Unit in the Department of Communications (DOC) has coordinated filming requests.

Because NYCHA developments are private property, production companies interested in filming must receive permission from NYCHA. The process usually begins when an individual or production company contacts NYCHA to scout a location they are interested in filming at. The production company works with Andy Nagy, DOC’s Media Services Technician, who then coordinates with the property manager or designee of the development to plan the location scouting.

“I get great help from the management and staff at the development sites where these productions take place,” Mr. Nagy said. “I really appreciate the time they take out of very busy schedules to help me by accommodating these productions when they come on site.”

Mr. Nagy and the property management team ensure that the development’s resident association is informed about the details of the filming. Some companies also provide a monetary donation to the development’s resident association.

Residents are informed about filming through “flyers posted throughout the development or at the specific locations where filming will take place” Mr. Nagy said. “If there’s a need to remove vehicles for the shoot, we reach out to property management and LAZ Parking, which handles resident parking matters. The production company is responsible for finding alternate street parking for residents during filming.”

Production companies pay a fee to film on NYCHA property. Fees collected from film shoots previously funded the NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship, which provides scholarships to NYCHA residents studying at City University of New York colleges. Currently, the money is added to the Authority’s general fund, which supports maintenance and repairs across NYCHA’s developments citywide.

In the last five years, NYCHA has received 60 to 80 inquiries a year about TV or film productions at NYCHA. Of those requests, approximately 70 percent end up filming at NYCHA developments.

Some of the notable television and feature films that have filmed at NYCHA developments include:

Television & Streaming

Well-known New York City police and legal procedural franchise “Law & Order,” which also includes “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” have filmed at multiple developments over the years;
“American Saga,” a drama series on Hulu about the early days of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, with scenes filmed at Stapleton Houses and Berry Houses in Staten Island;
“The Last OG,” a comedy series on Netflix starring Tracy Morgan (a former Gowanus Houses resident) and Tiffany Haddish, with scenes filmed at Gowanus Houses; and
“City on a Hill,” a crime drama series on Showtime that depicts Boston in the 1990s, with scenes filmed at Edenwald Houses and Pomonok Houses, two sites that closely resemble Boston public housing in the 1990s.

On set at Van Dyke Houses for the filming of “Brooklyn’s Finest.” Tented seating area for producers, directors, and other film staff so that they can watch scenes being filmed on video monitors.

Feature Films

“Son of No One,” a crime thriller starring Al Pacino and Channing Tatum, filmed for 13 days and nights in 2010 at Queensbridge South;
“Brooklyn’s Finest,” a crime drama starring Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, and Richard Gere, filmed at Van Dyke Houses in Brooklyn over the course of 11 days and four nights in 2008;
“American Gangster,” a biographical crime film starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, filmed for three days and nights at Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn in 2006. Though filming was only a few days, it took approximately three weeks for extensive modifications to be made to the interior and exterior of two buildings at the development to make it look like a 1970s Newark, New Jersey, housing development; and
“I am Legend,” starring Will Smith. Though no filming happened at NYCHA, the production company used the playground at Smith Houses to set up a catering tent and on-site kitchen for a week to be able to feed the 600 cast members, crew, and extras.

On the set of "American Gangster," filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. The crew preparing to shoot a scene outside of Marlboro featuring actor Russell Crowe inside an ambulance. — On the set of “American Gangster,” filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. The crew preparing to shoot a scene outside of Marlboro featuring actor Russell Crowe inside an ambulance.

On the set of "American Gangster," filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. A cameraman lines up a shot outside the building with other film crew around. — On the set of “American Gangster,” filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. A cameraman lines up a shot outside the building with other film crew around.

On the set of "American Gangster," filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. A vacant apartment was designed to look like an early 1970s apartment. — On the set of “American Gangster,” filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. A vacant apartment was designed to look like an early 1970s apartment.

On the set of "American Gangster," filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. Temporary exterior entrance to a building at Marlboro Houses building that was built for scenes filmed in an entryway. — On the set of “American Gangster,” filmed at Marlboro Houses in 2006. Temporary exterior entrance to a building at Marlboro Houses building that was built for scenes filmed in an entryway.

Learn More About the Process

After an individual or production company decides to film at NYCHA, they submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) providing details about the shoot, including the date, time, location, number of people in the cast and crew, any special equipment to be brought to the development, and more. The company is also required to provide NYCHA with proof of a Certificate of Insurance (COI), reviewed and approved by NYCHA’s Risk Management Department. Once the LOI and COI are reviewed and approved, a License Agreement is prepared which includes terms and conditions, required details outlined in the LOI, and a license fee. The final License Agreement is then signed by all authorized parties (Licensee and NYCHA). After the Agreement is fully executed, the individual or production is invoiced for the license fee, as well as for any overtime by staff who may assist with the production.

For more information about how to film at NYCHA developments, visit the Filming & Photo webpage.

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