While Hollywood might come to mind as the birthplace of the motion picture industry, we’ve also got New Jersey to thank. Early discoveries in film technology came from Newark and West Orange, while Bayonne and Fort Lee housed some of the nation’s first studios. Jersey can even claim the world’s first drive-in theater, found at Pennsauken’s Airport Circle. Over the years, the Garden State has played host to productions like Goodfellas, The Karate Kid, Friday the 13th and, more recently, Happy Gilmore 2 and A Complete Unknown (all of which was filmed in the state, bar one scene). Now, New Jersey is a premier production destination; thanks to Governor Phil Murphy, the state revamped its financial incentives for filmmakers, including a 30 percent to 35 percent tax credit, sales tax exemption, a diversity bonus and more.
The policy caught Netflix’s attention, leading the streamer to spend $1 billion on a 12-stage facility in Fort Monmouth, which broke ground in May. According to a company press release, Netflix hopes the 292-acre site will become an East Coast hub, joining its New York and Atlanta locations. Netflix also operates major production facilities in Albuquerque, N.M. and Los Angeles, Calif., as well as London, Madrid and Toronto internationally.
Jon Crowley, executive director of the NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission—which recruits and supports visiting productions and promotes economic and infrastructural growth—believes the state’s biggest draw is in its geography. “New Jersey is unrivaled in the quality and variety of locations we have,” he told Observer. “You can go from the beach with an ocean to mountains with snow in 90 minutes. There’s an amazing array in what is a geographically compact state. Where else are you going to get that?”
New Jersey also has an experienced entertainment workforce, according to Crowley, given its proximity to New York. “You’ve got the workforce, you’ve got the locations, you’ve got the incentives,” he said. “We also have the infrastructure,” he added, noting that Fort Monmouth marks the third—and largest—major production site to hit New Jersey, after Lionsgate Newark Studios and Bayonne’s 1888 Studios.
While this onslaught of production offerings might seem sudden, it’s been in the works for a while. Founded in 1976, the NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission’s goal is to make New Jersey the third largest production hub in the U.S., behind California and New York. “I see us taking over that spot in the next few years,” Crowley said. “Part of it is because we have a great incentive program; the other part is that the Commission has undertaken an aggressive business development outreach plan.”
Visiting productions spend money, and local businesses reap the rewards. For example, while Steven Spielberg was filming his upcoming movie, The Dish, “the Commission worked hard to ensure that his shoot went smoothly down in Cape May,” Crowley said, adding that a 350-person crew spent an average $285 per person per night at eight hotels in the otherwise off season. “The owners were ecstatic,” Crowley said.
The large-scale economic benefits are also apparent. Last year, qualified spending by studios in New Jersey jumped 37 percent from 2023’s $592 million, Crowley said. He expects the new studios to create a healthy uptick of construction jobs as well as permanent roles for creatives. The state’s Economic Development Authority launched a grant program, called NJ Film Works, to fund workforce training.
“It’s one-stop shopping. Whatever your production needs, New Jersey’s got you covered,” Crowley said.