By Sunayana Prabhu
LITTLE SILVER – Filming activities in the Two River area are on the rise. Ready to shine on celluloid, the small, picturesque borough of Little Silver is the latest town in the area to join a growing cohort of municipalities across the state accredited as “Film Ready” by the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission (NJMPTVC).
The multistep certification process puts enrolled communities on the radar of movie and television productions while ensuring residents’ quality of life.
The designation comes as 19 municipalities and two counties have completed the commission’s Film Ready New Jersey certification so far this year, bringing the state’s total to 43 certified communities since the program’s launch in March 2024.
Little Silver borough administrator Kevin Burke said he first learned about the program in spring 2024, when the commission invited them to a seminar on how towns can prepare for and manage location filming. “Fully realizing we are also just outside the back gate of the new proposed Netflix studios, it made sense to attend,” Burke said.
Little Silver borough officials, including the police chief, traveled to Bergen County for the workshop, then presented the information to the governing body. The borough council later adopted the “Filmmaker Code of Conduct and Professional Responsibility” and passed a resolution to join the program.
Mayor Bob Neff said Little Silver has hosted small productions before and already had internal processes to manage them. It helps ensure producers carry insurance and that filming is done with “as little disruption as possible,” Neff said. The Film Ready certification, he said, “was an opportunity to augment our capabilities and connect in an official way with the State of New Jersey so that we’re fully ready as opportunities arise.”
He added that the official certification is also “a way to be as visible as possible to take advantage of opportunities while protecting our residents from unwarranted intrusions.”
Burke submitted photographs of borough sites and compiled lists of area businesses for the commission’s database, noting the borough has “a lot to offer,” including a historic train station, parks, waterfront and downtown areas, and many well-maintained residences.
Being listed on the NJMPTVC website as a film-friendly community lets industry professionals know that a town has an expected set of regulations and amenities that will accommodate filming on time with minimal disruptions, which in turn helps productions stay within their tight timelines and budgets.
“There is also an opportunity to raise additional revenue for the borough,” Burke said.
Since earning the accreditation earlier this year, the borough has received inquiries from location scouts and production companies. Neff said no specific projects have been scheduled, but he considers the town “photogenic and camera-ready.”
While they’ve heard more interest than concern from residents so far, borough officials said any potential issues would be addressed immediately.
Film Ready New Jersey is a five-step certification and marketing program conducted by the NJMPTVC, part of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, that educates municipalities on the basics of motion picture and television production and sets basic standards for attracting filmmaking. The “film-ready” designation provides an elevated platform for certified communities to promote themselves as filming destinations and connects film and television professionals with skilled and knowledgeable liaisons across the state.
Two River area towns, including Tinton Falls, Shrewsbury, Red Bank and Holmdel, among others, have adopted Film Ready ordinances, setting parameters for filming crews while showcasing their town amenities and spurring new interest in towns that have always enjoyed picturesque settings.
Characterized as an “ideal town,” Fair Haven is currently seeing film crews actively scouting its surroundings. The borough officials there posted alerts on social media Aug. 11 to notify residents that Netflix would be conducting a location scouting project in the neighborhood the next day. According to the notice, “Netflix will fly a drone, operated by (an) FAA-certified drone pilot in accordance with FAA rules and regulations, along and over the Navesink. The drone will be launched from the borough’s municipal ramp.”
Recently, “Happy Gilmore 2,” partially shot at Ideal Beach and Beacon Hill Country Club in Middletown, made waves on Netflix, hitting the top position within a week of its release. Portions of the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, were filmed at Bahrs Landing in Highlands. The film’s production also shot scenes at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Holmdel’s Bell Works is the surreal setting for Apple TV’s ongoing Emmy-winning series “Severance.” The 2024 musical “Mean Girls” was filmed almost entirely on location at the former Mater Dei Prep campus in Middletown.
“The NJMPTVC has built consistency into the Film Ready program so when studios or networks bring projects to New Jersey, Film Ready localities are prepared for any opportunity that may arise,” said Jon Crowley, a resident of Atlantic Highlands and the NJMPTVC executive director, in a news release Aug. 1 while announcing the new list of municipalities that became Film Ready. “As the Garden State continues to break records in film and television production, initiatives like Film Ready exemplify the state’s commitment to ensuring towns and counties across the state share in the industry’s immense economic benefits.”
NJMPTVC will host its next workshop at the 2025 League of Municipalities meeting in Atlantic City Nov. 18.
The article originally appeared in the August 14 – 20, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
