Hillsborough Film-Ready Status Aims Economic Boost

Hillsborough says it is ready for more movie and television shoots after New Jersey renewed the township’s film-ready certification in March. (patch.com) Mayor Catherine Payne told the Township Committee on March 10 that the recertification confirms Hillsborough has completed state training to handle on-location productions. The state program is run by the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. (patch.com; nj.gov) Film Ready New Jersey is a five-step certification program that trains municipal officials on permitting, location support, and public-safety planning for shoots. Certified towns also get a trained local liaison and a state-backed way to market themselves to producers scouting locations. (nj.gov) For Hillsborough, the pitch is practical: make it easier for a production manager to ask for a permit, line up police or fire support, and get clear local rules before trucks and crews arrive. Independent filmmaker Tom Baldinger told Patch the designation can make business owners and property owners more willing to hear those requests. (nj.gov; msn.com) Hillsborough is not new to the program. Somerset County announced on Feb. 14, 2023, that Hillsborough, Franklin, South Bound Brook, and Watchung were the first municipalities in New Jersey’s Film Ready Communities program. (somersetcountynj.gov; patch.com) County officials tied that first class to New Jersey’s broader production push. Somerset County said in 2023 that statewide filmmaking topped $650 million in 2022, after a previous record of $500 million in 2021. (somersetcountynj.gov) The state is still leaning on tax incentives to keep that pipeline moving. New Jersey’s Economic Development Authority says eligible film productions can qualify for tax credits of up to 35 percent of qualified expenses, with some projects in the New York City radius capped at 30 percent. (njeda.gov; nj.gov) That does not mean every sidewalk, park, or storefront becomes an open set. The state program is meant to standardize permitting and fees, but local approvals, ordinances, and public-safety conditions still govern what a production can do in town. (nj.gov) Hillsborough’s bet is that a smoother permit process can turn location scouts into paying customers for restaurants, hotels, vendors, and property owners. The township has already been through the training once; the recertification keeps it on the list when the next crew starts looking. (patch.com; msn.com)