The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission (NJMPTVC) this week announced the latest cohort of Film Ready Communities.

As NJBIZ has reported, the Film Ready New Jersey Program was designed to prepare communities to accommodate movie and television productions as well as effectively market themselves as film destinations. The initiative includes a multistep training and certification process that educates municipalities and counties on the basics of a production, thereby setting baseline standards for attracting filmmaking.

The “film-ready” designation offers these communities an elevated platform to promote themselves as destinations as the sector booms here in the Garden State. Meanwhile, it also connects film and television professionals with skilled and knowledgeable liaisons statewide.

“The Film Ready New Jersey Program is helping the state’s film industry grow by giving municipalities and counties the tools needed to welcome top-tier productions to their communities,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which oversees the NJMPTVC. “As more productions choose New Jersey as their backdrop, the training provided by the Film Ready Program will generate an economic boost for communities across the state by creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and attracting tourism.”

The latest Film Ready Communities cohort

• Berkeley Heights
• Cranford
• Fair Lawn
• Jersey City
• Manville
• Newark
• Plainfield
• Pompton Lakes
• Rahway
• Ridgefield Park
• Ringwood
• Roseland
• West Orange
• Westwood
• Bergen County
• Passaic County
• Somerset County
• Union County

More information about each of the locations is available here.

Ready for your close-up?

The next Film Ready Workshop takes place April 23 at the Morris Museum in Morristown. There, participants will receive training and guidance from industry professionals, local mayors, NJMPTVC officials and other stakeholders on everything from the economic impact of hosting on-location filming to ordinances and permitting, opportunities for small business, and more.

NJMPTVC Executive Director Steve Gorelick said that New Jersey offers many advantages to the film and television industry — including prepared communities on day one.

“Through the Film Ready New Jersey Program, we are encouraging our cities and towns to readily welcome filmmakers and enjoy the many benefits when production crews come to town,” said Gorelick. “Partnerships with our municipal and county governments are vital to the state’s film industry success.”

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