The Best Locations for Filming in New York | Best Filming Locations NY

Plenty of great movies and TV shows have been filmed in New York over the years, including Taxi Driver (1976), Manhattan (1979), Weekend At Bernie's (1989), and Seinfeld (1989-98). Let’s do a resource round-up of some of these filming locations in New York, with a focus on NYC. This list is not comprehensive and if you feel we are missing a location that should be added, feel free to contact us with the suggestion.

We’ll discuss, in no particular order:

1. Best larger studios for filming in NY
2. Best smaller studios for filming in NY
3. Best churches for filming in NY
4. Best other locations for filming in NY

Best larger studios for filming in NY

Silver Screen Studios

URL: https://www.chelseapiers.com/studios/ 

Silver Screen Studios on Chelsea Piers is Manhattan's largest center for television and film production. With over 200,000 square feet of dedicated production space, Silver Screen Studios can accommodate a wide range of production needs.

Support space includes dressing rooms, large carpentry / scenic shops, storage facilities, wardrobe, hair and make-up rooms.

Notable production shot here: Law & Order TV series

GUM Studios

URL: https://www.gumstudios.nyc/film-studios-nyc/ 

GUM has multiple large film studios in New York, including:

• A 43,000 sq ft production facility, located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
• A 21,000 sq ft production facility, located one block from the waterfront in Long Island City

The GUM spaces are Level 1 Qualified Production facilities.

Production offices are available to rent separately.

Kaufman Astoria Studios

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufman_Astoria_Studios 

The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria section of Queens. Built in 1921.

At the core of Kaufman Astoria are seven column-free stages, including a huge 26,000 square foot stage.

The studio is home to New York City's only backlot (34,800 square feet).

Notable production shot here: Animal Crackers (1930)

Silvercup Studios

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvercup_Studios 

Silvercup is one of the largest film and TV production studios in NYC. The studio is located in Long Island City, Queens, with another facility in the Port Morris neighborhood of the Bronx.

The stages range in size from 3,000 to 18,000 sq ft with grid heights up to 36'.

Notable production shot here: HBO's Sex and the City

Brooklyn Studios NYC

URL: https://www.brooklynstudios.net/ 

Brooklyn Studios has three studios:

• Studio One is 15,000 sq. ft.
• Studio Two is 10,000 sq. ft.
• Studio Three is 4,600 sq. ft.

Located at 8-16 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, NY.

Best smaller studios for filming in NY

Brave Studios

URL: https://newyorkgreenscreen.com/ 

Brave is a 4K multicam production facility located at 145 W 28th St, New York. They have three studios, with the largest being 40’ x 30’.

The Brave studios have make-up rooms, client areas, kitchens and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Brave also has equipment available, including cameras, lenses, monitors and tripods.

Shop Studios

URL: https://www.shopstudios.com/rentalspace 

There are two Shop Studios, with the largest one being Studio 1 (7,300 sq foot of space). They have freight elevators that can hold 15,000 pounds each.

There is also a spacious outdoor terrace available to rent. This space is perfect for outdoor events, shoots, and productions.

Located at 528 W 39th Street, New York.

Red Line Studios

URL: https://www.redlinestudios.net/ 

Red Line has a green screen studio and soundstage. The green screen space consists of two smaller studios. The soundstage measures 30' x 22' - 10'5" to the ceiling grid.

They have an inventory of gear to rent, including lights, clamps, gloves and stands.

Located at 181 Broadway Floor 3 & 4, New York.

Deer Studios

URL: https://www.deerstudiosnyc.com/ 

Studio A at Deer has 1,200 square feet of production space. A cyclorama and lighting grid are in the studio. Studio B at Deer has 800 square feet of space. Includes a lounge/green room.

These smaller studios are good for filming interviews, podcasts, and short film productions. Located at 240 E 56th St #2e, New York.

Be Electric Studios

URL: https://www.beelectric.tv/ 

Be Electric Studios is a Level 2 Qualified Production Facility for the New York Film Production Tax Credit, located in Brooklyn. 

They have nine soundstages all with cycloramas and lighting grids and an equipment rental department.

Be Electric’s largest soundstage is about 12,000 square feet.

Best churches for filming in New York

The Church of the Holy Trinity

URL: https://www.holytrinity-nyc.org/leasing-space-filming 

Located at 316 E 88th St, New York, this church has hosted many film and TV productions over the years. Built in 1899 in a 13th century French Gothic style, this church has a seating capacity of ~400.

This church contains a Rieger pipe organ that was installed in 1987.

Notable production shot here: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Church of the Heavenly Rest

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Heavenly_Rest 

The Church of the Heavenly Rest is an Episcopal church located at 1085 5th Ave, New York. The church is noted for its distinctive architecture.

Built in 1865 by Civil War veterans, this church has hosted many film and TV productions over the decades. Innovative design features included unobstructed views of the altar, indirect lighting and a high-tech sound system.

Notable production shot there: The Devil's Advocate (1997)

St. George Church on West 54th

URL: https://www.saintgeorgenyc.org/location-scouts/ 

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church is located at 307 W 54th St, New York.

The church’s newly renovated hall has a direct entrance, Wi-Fi and holds 80-100 people comfortably. 

The church also has a large open space for rent on its second floor.

Notable production shot there: Mr. Robot TV series

First Presbyterian Church (Manhattan)

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Presbyterian_Church_(Manhattan) 

First Presbyterian Church is located at 12 W 12th St in Manhattan. This church was constructed around 1844–1846 in the Gothic Revival style.

This church contains two pipe organs.

Notable production shot there: Lady Bird (2017)

Marble Collegiate Church

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Collegiate_Church 

The Marble Collegiate Church, founded in 1628, is one of the oldest continuous Protestant congregations in North America. Located at 1 W 29th St, New York.

The church was designated a New York City landmark in 1967 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Notable production shot there: Splash (1984)

Best other locations for filming in New York

Grand Central Terminal | Subway for filming NYC

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Terminal 

Surely one of the most iconic locations in New York City, many film and TV productions have been shot at the Grand Central Terminal over the years.

The distinctive architecture and interior design of Grand Central Terminal's station have earned it several landmark designations, including as a National Historic Landmark.

Notable production shot here: The Fisher King (1991)

Empire State Building rooftop | Best rooftop for filming NYC

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building 

One of the most iconic buildings in American history, the Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Manhattan at 20 W 34th St. 

The building has a roof height of 1,250 feet; views from its observatory are breathtaking.

Notable production shot here: Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Central Park | Best park for filming NYC

URL: https://www.centralparknyc.org/activities/guides/film-photo 

Another iconic New York City location for filming is Central Park. You can submit a request form to the Central Park Conservancy to obtain permission to film in this park.

Central Park is the fifth-largest park in NYC by area, covering 843 acres.

Notable production shot there: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Tom’s Restaurant | Best restaurant for filming in NYC

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%27s_Restaurant 

Made famous by the many establishing shots in the TV series Seinfeld, Tom’s is located at 2880 Broadway in Manhattan on the Columbia University campus.

Even though the interior and exterior have undergone minor remodeling since Seinfeld, the distinctive sign remains the same.

Notable production shot here: Seinfeld

Otto H. Kahn House | Best house for filming in NYC

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_H._Kahn_House 

The Otto H. Kahn House located at 1 E 91st St, New York has been used for various film and TV productions over the years. The house was built between 1914 and 1918 as the town residence of Kahn, a German-born financier.

In 1974, the house was declared a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Notable production shot here: A Perfect Murder (1998)

Plaza Hotel | Best hotel for filming in NYC

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Hotel 

The Plaza is a luxury hotel and condominium apartment building in Midtown Manhattan at 768 5th Ave.

Since its inception in 1907, the Plaza has become an icon of New York City, with numerous wealthy and famous guests. Various films and TV shows have been shot here over the years.

Notable production shot here: North by Northwest (1959)

Radio City Music Hall & Rockefeller Centre | Best theatre for filming

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_City_Music_Hall 

Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue at 1260 Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center. Nicknamed "the Showplace of the Nation", it is certainly one of the most famous theatre venues in the country.

One of the more notable parts of the Music Hall is its large auditorium, which was the world's largest when the hall first opened in 1932.

Notable production shot here: Radio Days (1987)

Film/Video Equipment Insurance USA | Short-Term Production Insurance in the US

If you’re researching filming locations in New York, chances are good that you’re a filmmaker or film producer; if that is the case, you’ll want to consider insuring your valuable filmmaking gear and film productions. Get a quote from Front Row:

• Owned equipment insurance (US): For US residents, we can cover both owned gear and rented gear on a specialized entertainment floater form.
• Event Insurance (US): if you’re holding a private event at one of the above venues, you can buy insurance for the day of your event from Front Row.

About: Front Row Insurance Brokers LLC is an independent insurance broker that works on behalf of its clients to provide insurance at a low cost. Should a claim occur, Front Row works diligently to ensure that clients receive the money they are owed per the insurance policy. Front Row has US offices in New York, LA and Nashville. Visit their website at https://www.frontrowinsurance.com/en-us/. 

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• Author: Grant Patten
• Google Web Story: Best filming locations in NY

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