By Allison Perrine
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – The borough will charge a $500 daily fee to any film crews utilizing public property in Atlantic Highlands, officials decided last Thursday.
As part of a routine resolution establishing annual harbor rates, officials approved the inclusion of a film production/recording fee of $500 per day or $250 for up to four hours. According to outgoing borough administrator Adam Hubeny, the fee will help cover the costs of “inconveniences” to residents brought on by filming.
“This is just a simple way to cover our costs of the inconveniences of some of the filming that’s done,” Hubeny said. “It (filming) does benefit the borough and the businesses, but I think when you look at the time, energy and effort that’s put in by the borough staff, it’s very well justified at $500.”
Others disagree.
Councilman Jon Crowley, an award-winning television executive producer who was absent from the Sept. 9 meeting, fears the fee implementation could drive production teams out of town.
“It’s a lot given today’s budgets. We don’t have budgets like they did 20 years ago. And you’ve got an industry that’s decimated because of the pandemic and a lot of people are out of work for a long time,” said Crowley.
Crowley is currently working on a production with the Discovery network in Atlantic Highlands. Throughout the filming period, Discovery and its crew have put some $20,000 into the local economy by having lunch in town, picking up props and equipment from local stores, renting hotel rooms, grabbing coffee in the morning and more, he said.
“I have a minimum of six to seven actors per day… and a lot of these people are coming from Monmouth and Ocean counties so we’re providing jobs as well that are local to the area,” added Crowley. And he “had to push and pull to make that happen” because filming in other areas that would not require hotel stays or longer commutes may have been cheaper. “It’s just much easier to stay closer to Manhattan.”
Discovery is not the only network taking advantage of the scenic views in Atlantic Highlands and other areas nearby. Not long ago, executives from the Food Network rented out On The Deck – a private property – to film on-site. Television personality and actor Carson Kressley also filmed in the borough, Crowley said. And last month, film star Kevin Smith shot scenes for the Clerks III movie in the area and reserved a number of parking spots in the borough to do so.
The fee implementation was approved by the borough’s Harbor Commission, though according to Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner, its members are “very open to additional conversations” about “what the appropriateness of the rates are.” She also noted that she and Hubeny discussed forming a film/TV commission in town that could review filming rates and possibly create a more detailed package for potential film crews to “promote Atlantic Highlands as a destination for film and television.”
Resident Zach Brown questioned at what point individuals would be subjected to that fee. He asked, “If I take my camera and go down to the harbor” would he be assessed a fee?
“No,” said Hubeny. “When you come into town and you start reserving the tennis court parking lot because you’re going to put all your trailers down there while you’re shooting your film uptown, that’s an issue.”
He also noted that for anyone filming inside a business, like the Food Network did at On The Deck, there would be no fee since it is being done inside a private building. “We’re trying to keep it simple,” said Hubeny.
Resident Morgan Spicer said the filming fee makes “total sense” but suggested labeling it a “good citizen donation” instead of a fee, with funds benefitting emergency medical services in town. She suggested that if studios find out the cost will benefit the town’s EMS rather than the municipality, it might be more enticing.
“That’s a great idea,” said Hubeny. “Some of the folks that have filmed – we’ve asked them if they wanted to make a donation. I think we bought an AED in the harbor with a donation from one of the companies that filmed.”
Other fees included in Resolution No. 145-2021 include: various slip rates and other services for docking, storage and more; launching ramps; hoisting services; transient rates; insurance requirements; relocation charges; finance and electric charges; contractor fees; fuel prices; and harbor facility uses at the skate park, basketball court, promenade and more.
This article originally appeared in the Sept. 16-22, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
