Huntington launching Office of Film & Television Thursday

Hollywood is now at Huntington's door. 

The downtown area was abuzz last weekend with the filming of the latest episode of the hit TV show “American Horror Story.” Streets were blocked, trailers rumbled through area streets, and traffic was jammed.

These scenarios may become more common with the town's launching of the Office of Film & Television, which was involved in bringing the "American Horror Story" production to town. 

The town is officially launching the office at a reception Thursday at Rozewood Farm in Cold Spring Harbor. The office is responsible for attracting production companies from the motion picture and television industries and streaming services to Huntington. The office is expected to be a new revenue stream, Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said Friday.

“We’re ready and set to go,” said Joe Schramm, a Northport marketing executive hired as the part-time director for the office. He will be paid $35,000 with no benefits. 

The town will market its various backdrops: beaches, downtowns, architecture, and open spaces, officials said.

“We have areas of the town with the magic of Hollywood that could look like midtown Manhattan or a rural community,” Smyth said.

The office will provide the logistical support, including transportation, parking lots for catering, makeup and wardrobe trailers, public safety, security, and will connect them with services such as caterers and beauty salons.

“The important part is they pay the town for doing this,” Smyth said.

Town officials say they are unable to calculate projected revenue because numbers will vary depending on the productions.

They said so far the office has not made any money by bringing productions to town, three so far. They have only broken even on the shoots, which have been one- or two-day events, but said they expect to make a profit by bringing in larger-scale productions.

Diana Cherryholmes, chair of the Suffolk County Film Commission, said part of Huntington falls within a “union zone” designated by several New York City-based workers' unions, guilds and organizations defining the areas in which they will work locally. She said it’s a benefit to both the town and productions to have and work in the zone.

“Filming inside a union zone makes it more cost-effective for productions,” she said. “If you make it easier for the productions, then they are happy and will come back.”

Bob Fonti, co-chair of the Huntington Station-based Suffolk County Alliance of Chambers, made up of regional business organizations and chambers of commerce, said it’s a great opportunity for the town to increase revenue using the town's beauty and assets. He added it's important to also keep residents and businesses in mind.

“Everything should be done at the least intrusive times and give the public as much advance notice of any disruptions,” Fonti said.

Schramm said the office has prepared an average of two proposals per month to date. He said the number is expected to increase once the town begins to promote its availability.

If you’re hankering to know which productions and celebrities are coming to town, the town will not offer a sneak peek.

“Confidentiality is an important characteristic for gaining the confidence of the film and television industry,” Schramm said. “We are not currently at liberty to share which productions are currently entertaining proposals from the town.”