RESOURCES

The City of Newark and the State of New Jersey presents film and television producers with numerous benefits and resources.

In 2011, the Newark Office of Film + Television (NOFT) was launched to empower Newark, NJ to become a leading destination for film, TV, digital media and entertainment in the United States, and to nurture local education and business opportunities in these fields.

NOFT is happy to facilitate your film or media arts production in Newark in terms of access, logistics, contacts, hires, promotion and more. Contact us here.

Here are a few other reasons why you should create and/or film in Newark:

TRANSPORTATION

Newark is blessed with one of the densest transportation grids in the country, making it an air, bus, rail, road, and shipping hub, only 10 miles from New York City.

Looking for bus access? Newark is served by not 10, not 20, not 30, but 40+ bus lines!

Train service includes Amtrak, PATH and NJ Transit, the latter can be accessed not only via Newark Penn Station, but also Newark Broad Street Station. These stations provide a quick and convenient 20-30 minute commute to Manhattan.

Nearby highways include the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Routes 1&9, 21, 22, 78, and 280.

Flying in and out of the city is a question of minutes, not hours, with nearby access to one of the main airports in the country, Newark Liberty International Airport.

And if access to a seaport is what you need, Newark has one of the biggest ports too.

WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES

Newark is home to world-class cultural institutions like the Newark Museum, Newark Public Library, New Jersey Historical Society and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Newark features one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in the U.S. – the Prudential Center, a minor league baseball stadium, Newark Bears / Eagles Stadium, and one of the most historic performance spaces, the Newark Symphony Hall.

Newark also boasts the only Stay and Shoot facility on the East Coast, the 37,000 square foot Ironbound Film and Television Studios, located 10 minutes from Newark Airport and 5 minutes from Newark Penn Station.

HISTORY

Newark, and New Jersey, are linked to the birth of cinema. Thomas Edison experimented with inventions in his laboratory in Newark, which would eventually be put to use in his kinetographic theater in West Orange. The facility became known as the “Black Maria” and is considered the world’s first production studio.

Newark is also the birthplace or one-time home of numerous movie stars, including Brian DePalma, Jason Alexander, Jerry Lewis, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Tisha Campbell-Martin, and more. You may also recognize some of its music stars, including Connie Francis, Frankie Valli, Ice-T, Paul Simon, Queen Latifah, Sarah Vaughn, Savion Glover, Whitney Houston, and more.

That is just Newark, because if we consider all of New Jersey – one can make the case that no other state has produced, pound for pound, more talented individuals in recent history.

DIVERSITY

Whether you are looking for a historic Dutch colonial or Victorian home (Weequahic), a romantic, cherry-blossom filled park (Branch Brook), or a gritty urban landscape with color and authenticity, you will find the perfect setting in Newark.

And you will find people to match. The city’s population is very diverse, with backgrounds ranging from African American, Brazilian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish to Ecuadorian, Indian, West Indian, Ukrainian, and more. Newark is also home to one of the largest student populations in the country (over 50,000) and home the most diverse student body in the country.

And then there is this: Newark looks great on screen, because it is great in real life – its character, its grit, its diversity – all of it!