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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. Move over, Hollywood. There's a new favorite destination for film productions: the Tarrytowns.
The site of a film crew and movie camera have become familiar to local residents after several productions have set up shop in the villages. Route 117 and Sleepy Hollow Road were both closed to traffic on Wednesday for film productions. Those roads will continue to be closed for filming on Thursday.
Sleepy Hollow Village Administrator Anthony Giaccio said the tentatively-titled film The Marcher was being shot on Sleepy Hollow Road. The Journal News reported that a new Jason Bourne movie starring Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Renner was being filmed on Route 117.
A few businesses on Tarrytown's Main Street have also been used recently in a film starring Julianne Moore. The English Teacher is about a former student whose high school performs his unproduced play.
Tarrytown Village Administrator Michael Blau said production companies shoot their movies in the village because they like the look of Main Street.
Giaccio said a state tax incentive also brings in film productions. Sleepy Hollow's location is also ideal.
The like Sleepy Hollow because it's close to the City, but has a rural look, Giaccio said.
Local residents have mixed reactions to the film productions. Heather Scogna wrote on The Daily Tarrytown's Facebook page that parking is already an issue in Tarrytown.
And filming makes it worse! Heather Scogna wrote.
Facebook reader Walter Ferguson had a different view on the situation.
Parking may be a little difficult, but the exposure that it gives the area is great and anything that brings in revenue to the stores is a win-win, he wrote.
Giaccio mentioned few economic benefits to the village, as most of the film companies provide their own food to actors and crews.
I believe, however, it's usually exciting and good for community spirit, he said. The village does get a fee, and if any private properties are used, the owner usually gets a decent amount of money as well.
Blau said there were some benefits and negatives.
There are fees generated by the village for a shoot, he said. 'Half of the fees go into an account for beautification and/or improvements in the downtown commercial district.
One of the negatives to filming, Blau said, is that it has been said to impact businesses negatively. A group of Tarrytown merchants expressed their concerns with film productions after a June production of Predisposed made it hard for customers to enter their stores.
Giaccio and Blau said there were no other film productions shooting in the area in the near future.
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