By: Juanita Scott
It’s time to acknowledge New Jersey as one of America’s best film hubs. It’s easy to overlook it when you have the likes of Hollywood, New York City, or even Atlanta as major movie empires. But when you go beneath the surface, you can find that New Jersey both offered and offers a lot to this vast industry.
Many might not know this, but the state of New Jersey has a rich history when it comes to the film industry. The first thing that might come to mind when someone thinks of New Jersey in films or television are the classic diners, the Italian mob rings, everyone is loud and over the top, etc. And while that may be true for some people, the connection that the state has with film is much deeper than that.
At the start of the film industry, Thomas Edison and his laboratory team, led by William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, helped develop early motion picture technology, including the kinetograph camera and kinetoscope viewing device. These inventions were developed at Edison’s West Orange laboratory, which was also home to the Black Maria motion picture studio. But considering that these were the early days of cinema, this gets overlooked a lot, even though Edison is widely recognized as a pioneer in the industry, along with contributors such as William K.L. Dickson and William Heise. The National Park Service documents these early developments in motion picture history.
Even as time went on, and I started to engage with film and film history more adequately, I myself was a part of the group that overlooked the contributions of New Jersey to the industry. This included overlooking the number of films and television productions that completed full or partial production throughout the state.
When it comes to film production, one of the main things that producers try to do is save as much money as possible. Which is why when productions scout for locations, they have to think about whether it will accommodate the story and their personal spending needs.
Many movies and television shows set in New York are filmed partially or entirely elsewhere. Production costs, location availability, tax incentives, and the logistics of filming in busy urban areas can influence these decisions. As a result, productions sometimes choose locations such as Vancouver, Toronto, Atlanta, or New Jersey.
In fact, New Jersey extended its Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program through 2049 in November 2025. According to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, qualifying film productions generally may receive tax credits of up to 35% of eligible expenses, while designated studio partners may qualify for 40%. Film-lease production companies may qualify for credits ranging from 35% to 40%, depending on eligible expenses. Additional incentives may apply to productions meeting specific program requirements. The general film tax credit program has an annual allocation of $100 million, while separate annual allocations of $150 million each are designated for studio partners and film-lease production companies.
So, with all of this information, it makes sense as to why productions would want to film here. And in fact, I think most people take it for granted. New Jersey is somewhat of an underrated, underappreciated film hub.
If we want to really shrink down the regional size, there have been a plethora of films that were shot in the South Jersey area as well. Even some that were critically acclaimed and were in conversation to win awards.
One recent example is A Complete Unknown (2024), which was filmed in locations including Cape May, although much of the production took place in North Jersey and New York. Other films, such as Disclosure Day, Knock at the Cabin, and The Godfather Part III, were also filmed either partially or in their entirety in the region. The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission provides information about productions filmed throughout the state.
And what I love most about things such as this is the fact that people who live in the region are able to uncover this information and potentially interact with their own county with a bit more pride. When I find out that movies or shows are set in Philadelphia, or were filmed in Philadelphia, there is a spark of pride that ignites in me that says, “I’m a part of film history.”
Sure, I wasn’t alive in the slightest when the Rocky series was released, but the cultural relevance still lights up the city to this day. Does it get annoying sometimes when people ask about “the Rocky steps”? Sometimes, but I can allow it for the sole reason that it brought so much joy to people’s lives.
Along with this, it could provide extra revenue for the region of South Jersey, and the state as a whole in the process. One thing I personally like to look for when I visit a new city are the important landmarks that are there. And when it comes to film, I think it’s one of the easiest ways to have tourist attractions. Taking the Rocky steps for example again, I have personally encountered people who have attempted the trek up the stairs of the Art Museum and wanted to come and take their picture with the statue.
Having iconic pieces such as this can easily benefit the area, or on the opposite side, affect it negatively through tourist interaction. I have personally observed how tourists tend to get disrespectful with the original residents of the area they are in. I do think that a part of this can be due to cities prioritizing landmarks over citizens.
In fact, New Jersey is taking steps in this direction. On September 9, 2026, Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation establishing the New Jersey Film Trail initiative. The legislation directs the state’s Division of Travel and Tourism to develop a trail highlighting locations where movies and television productions were filmed throughout New Jersey. The planned initiative will include an interactive website identifying filming locations and nearby attractions. Although the trail’s development does not mean it is already open to visitors, the concept sounds like a great way to encourage people to explore the state’s cinematic history.
It would also allow for the aforementioned idea of deeper connection. One of the strongest things that I have noticed when it comes to film are those connections that I have made with people all over the country. And South Jersey is no exception, as some of my strongest connections have been here, and there was so much film knowledge that I gained due to the people that I met.
So, being able to appreciate the contributions of New Jersey to the industry has been great. And I hope that the same could be said for other film lovers along with those who aren’t deep in the industry but appreciate the medium as a whole.
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This article was produced as part of Follow South Jersey’s student journalism program, which provides aspiring journalists with practical experience in professional news reporting and writing.
