Business of Filmmaking in New Jersey the Focus of GSFF Symposium

Tom Meyers, Executive Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission, acted as moderater in a panel discussion called "The Business of Film Making in New Jersey: Birthplace of the American Film Industry" at the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) Sunday.

The symposium, featuring Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-37), a staunch advocate of a tax credit for film and TV production in New Jersey and , was one of two led by the Film Commission at the GSFF—it also hosted "Reel Jersey Girls: Centennial of Alice Guy Blache's Solax Studio - One Hundred Years Of Women Filmmakers," a panel discussion exploring the history of women filmmakers in New Jersey dating back to 1912 the previous day.

Speakers at the Sunday symposium on the history and state of the industry today included Assistant Executive Director of the Directors Guild of America Jean Frost, Executive Director of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission Steve Gorelick, Co-President and Founding Partner of Sirk Productions in New York City Marc Perez, William J. Pascrell, III, Esq. of Princeton Public Affairs Group, Inc. and the president of MediaMix Studio in Allendale Joseph J. Vargas, in addition to Senate Majority Leader Weinberg.

Donna Brennan of the Fort Lee Film Commission produced this video, highlighting some of the key moments from Sunday's more than 90-minute symposium.