Silvercup Adds New NBC TV Pilot “Kidnapped” To Roster

Silvercup Studios, New York’s leading television and film studios, has announced that the pilot for “Kidnapped” commenced production at the Queens-based studio complex. Pointing to the recently enacted tax credit program, Silvercup executives Alan Suna and Stuart Match Suna note that production work in New York has skyrocketed since the incentive program took effect, with more productions filming at Silvercup Studios this year, compared to last year.

“Kidnapped” will begin filming in a few weeks at Silvercup’s East Lot. The one-hour drama will follow the abduction of a wealthy New York teenager. NBC Universal Television/Sony Pictures Television is producing “Kidnapped” with 25 C Productions, which has executive producers Jason Smilovic (“Karen Sisco”), Michael Dinner, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly.

The pilot for “Kidnapped” joins a number of other productions currently shooting at Silvercup Studios including television shows such as HBO’s “The Sopranos”, starring James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, ABC/Touchstone’s “Hope & Faith”, starring Kelly Ripa and Faith Ford, the Russian reality show “Hunger” for TNT and the new NBC/Sony Television drama, “The Book of Daniel”, starring Aidan Quinn and Ellen Burstyn.

“We have never had so much production going on at one time in Silvercup Studios’ 22-year history. This fall, in addition to television series, many major motion pictures have been and will be filming on the Silvercup Studios lots,” Alan Suna, Silvercup Studios chief executive officer, said. Among these are Fox 2000’s “The Devil Wears Prada”, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway; New Line Cinema’s “Little Children”, starring Jennifer Connelly and Kate Winslet, the Sidney Kimmel Entertainment/Gold Circle film “Griffin and Phoenix”, starring Amanda Peet and Dermott Mulroney; Michael Mailer Films’ “Kettle of Fish” starring Matthew Modine and Gina Gershon, and even part of the Ivan Reitman action comedy, “Super Ex-Girlfriend”, starring Uma Thurman.

“The tremendous amount of work brought to New York is clearly due to the recently enacted tax credit program and is truly unbelievable. These new productions have provided a huge boost to New York’s economy. Considering the power of celebrity, all these new shows and movies are like a commercial for the great City of New York,” Suna added.

“Silvercup and New York were fortunate to have been home to HBO’s “Sex & the City” for all of its six seasons. That show was a great postcard for shooting in New York. When you look at what the show “Sex & the City” has done for New York in terms of tourism and commerce, you realize that films and television shows that are based in New York should have the opportunity to be filmed here. There is no other way to create that authentic New York feel but economics most often got in the way of repeating this performance. The tax credit program has enabled many other non-New York City-based productions to shoot here economically. These incentives have made New York competitive with foreign countries and Los Angeles,” Stuart Match Suna, Silvercup Studios president, added.

By choosing Silvercup, the productions will be eligible for New York City’s “Made in New York” tax incentive program, which grants tax breaks, marketing credits and other benefits to productions that complete 75 percent of their work in the city.

Silvercup Studios is the largest independent, full-service film and production facility in the Northeast. Its two facilities contain more than 400,000 square feet of space, including 18 studios, on-site production offices and extensive set, prop and wardrobe spaces. No other studio in the region offers as diverse an offering of facilities.

Silvercup maintains a complete inventory of lighting and grip equipment as well as expendable items geared to the film, television and commercial production industry. Silvercup opened its first studio in 1983 in the former Silvercup Bakery. Throughout its 22 years of operation, it has been home to hundreds of feature films, television programs and commercials. For more information about Silvercup Studios, visit www.silvercupstudios.com.