Kaufman carves out piece of film history

Situated in the “suburbs of New York City,” as one member of the press put it, The Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York, is now the proud home to the city's very first backlot. The space made its official debut earlier today at a well-attended ribbon-cutting ceremony. Though the weather was mild, sunny, and cooperatively ripe for the public display of an outdoor facility, the attenuating press conference was held inside Kaufman studios itself. Journalists and the city’s cultural movers and shakers schmoozed by the set of Amazon’s hit Web series “Alpha House,” though they were cordoned off from the show’s important, breakable items (facades of painted-brick houses and a long, imposing hallway with the look of sterile governmental officiousness about it provided the backdrop for what was really a congenial photo-op for the event’s politician speakers).

After getting off to a late start – not that many of the attendees minded, given the dark chocolate and peanut-butter cupcakes available – several important personages, figureheads and influential personalities alike, discussed the benefits of the new Kaufman Studios backlot. Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer was the day’s master of ceremonies, providing the opening remarks and setting the excited and hopeful, if often self-congratulatory, tone. “We like to think of it as Hollywood East,” he said of the studio space. “What [Head of Kaufman Studios] George Kaufman started here has produced billions – literally billions – of dollars in revenue,” and countless jobs.

Photo credit: Jill Lotenberg

Subsequent speakers, including Senator Charles Schumer, George Kaufman’s right-hand man Hal Rosenbluth, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Senator Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Aravella Simotas, and Senior Vice President of Film, Arts and Culture Development for New York State Rhoda Glickman, each echoed Van Bramer’s sentiments in turn. George Kaufman’s achievement – renovating the studio space after it fell into disrepair around 1980, subsequently revamping New York City’s film industry – was universally lauded, as were the benefits of the city’s film tax exemptions.

“The breaks come back to us – so much money comes back to us,” said Senator Schumer. The reinvigorated movie business has “created hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs – not tens of thousands,” he was quick to emphasize.

Rosenbluth sounded, “Today is the celebration of a vision coming true,” while Senator Gianaris challenged the haters (none of whom were in attendance). He asked that “for all those who want to be critical, to rewind 10 years… It’s not just the talent, Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford, that’re making money off these productions.” He ticked off carpenters, electricians, and caterers as examples of those who benefit from a healthy entertainment business. Later, Rosenbluth cited the end credits of a film. “Each name [you see] is a job,” he said, “and each company is many jobs.”

George Kaufman, the man of the hour and its least loquacious, spoke briefly of how proud he felt and of his hopes for the future development and success of those projects that utilize the lot.

The conference moved along at a nice clip. Afterwards, the press was invited outside for more officially staged photos, including those that included the cutting of the ribbon. The speakers grouped together before the lot’s gates and beneath an outdoor catwalk, accessible via a broad spiral staircase and headed by large metal letters spelling out “Kaufman.”

Photo credit: Jill Lotenberg

Though she didn’t speak during the press conference, “Orange is the New Black” actress Dascha Polanco was on hand to discuss her experience filming Netflix’s popular series on the Kaufman property. As someone living on the border of Brooklyn and Queens, she said, she felt “proud” when she first got wind of a Kaufman backlot. “It’s a great representation of how things [here] keep getting better and improve. I’m witnessing history, and that’s an honor.” Not to mention a memorable way to kick off your 30th birthday.

Polanco’s reference to history is apt. Back when it was known as Famous Players Lasky, the studio officially opened for show-business in 1920. It later went on to house Paramount Studios, and, for many years, was the largest film stage outside of Hollywood. Early luminaries like Gloria Swanson, Claudette Colbert and W.C. Fields all starred in productions filmed in the space. More recently, Kaufman studios continues to play host to TV series “Nurse Jackie” and "Sesame Street," as well as “Alpha House” and “Orange is the New Black.” The Bourne Legacy filmed there, as did the upcoming Ben Stiller drama The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

“This is a game-changer for New York,” Schumer stated. We have the talent, he said, as so many people would rather live here than in California. In other words, and in sum:  “Hollywood, watch out!”