New Jersey Leaders and Industry Experts Convene to Advance Diversity in Film and TV Production

The New Jersey TV and Motion Picture Commission, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will host the first state Diversity in Film Forum in Newark on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Elected officials and other New Jersey leaders will join film industry experts for the launch of the Film Tax Credit Program, which incentivizes production companies to create content in New Jersey and includes a Diversity Tax Credit for productions that employ women and other minority persons in both key creative positions and as members of their production crew.

The event will include formal remarks from First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, and Senator Loretta Weinberg. The program also includes a panel with industry experts from Paramount Pictures, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Warner Media, and the Motion Picture Association of America, as well as networking opportunities for registered attendees. A complete agenda and list of speakers is available here.

Press planning to attend are encouraged to register online and will be required to present credentials the day of the event.

When: Wednesday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m.

Where: Express Newark, 54 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ 07102 (The Hahne Building)

Interview Opportunities:

• Hester Agudosi, Chief Diversity Officer, State Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will be available to discuss Governor Murphy’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in New Jersey.
• Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of the NJEDA, will be available to discuss the Film Tax Credit as well as the Diversity Tax Credit.
• David Smith, Vice Chairman, New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, will be available to discuss the state of New Jersey’s film industry.

Speakers:

• First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy
• Tahesha Way, Esq.—New Jersey Secretary of State
• Hester Agudosi—Chief Diversity Officer, State Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• Mayor Ras J. Baraka—City of Newark
• Senator Loretta Weinberg (Co-Sponsor of the Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act)
• Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.—Essex County Executive
• David Smith—Vice Chairman, New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission
• Tim Sullivan—CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
• Robert Asaro-Angelo—Commissioner, NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development
• Nancy Cantor—Chancellor, Rutgers-Newark
• Anne Schaper Englot—Director, Express Newark

Forum Co-Sponsors:

• Newark Office of Film & Television
• Express Newark
• County of Essex
• Union County College

###