American Cinematographer - December 2004 - 118

Steiner offers five

soundstages totaling 280,000

between stages, so that productions
more than one stage can

that need

back and forth," says Fine.
easily found at
Steiner's biggest nearby competitors,
Kaufman Astoria and Silvercup.
There is certainly nothing in New
York like Steiner's Stage 3, which
boasts 27,000 square feet of clear
space and 45' from floor to grid; it's
billed as the largest purpose-built
soundstage in the Northeast. The four
stages that flank it range from 16,200 to
22,000 square feet, with at least 35' of
grid height. The stages feature quiet,
low-velocity HVAC, NC 25 and STC 55
acoustic ratings, and portholes for
mobile unit hook-ups. Three-story stair¬
cases link the stages to production
offices, dressing rooms and support
easily

move

These

are

not elements

space.

The site will include

lightingand-grip department, postproduction
suites, screening rooms and food
services, and it will eventually employ
close to 1,000 people, according to Fine.

$15.00
TO ORDER CALL

800.448.0145

OR 323.969,4333

OR VISIT US AT

www.theasc.com
114

It's

a

true

a

lot, with views of Manhattan,

the East River and the

Williamsburg
Bridge, and there is room for possible
expansion into other sections of the
300-acre Navy Yard, which dates from
1800 and contains many historic build¬
ings. And, perhaps most essential of all
in New York City, the site includes park¬
ing for 1,000 cars.
Steiner

was

constructed in the

location where, several years ago, actor
Robert De Niro and Miramax co¬

founder Harvey

Weinstein partnered in

square

feet. Pictured is Stage 1.

attempt to get a similar facility built.
They were thwarted when Steiner Equi¬
ties Group, a real-estate concern led by
an

the father-son team of David S. Steiner
and

Douglas C. Steiner, was chosen by
city to develop the property instead.
The city kicked in $28 million of the
the

studio's $128 million cost. The 11th-hour
tax incentive gave

the studio a major
doing it with or with¬
out the legislation, but the legislation
certainly got everyone's attention," says
Douglas Steiner. With a laugh, he adds,
"The Producers absolutely would not
boost: "We

have

come

were

here without it

-

Mel's

tight!"
The Producers, which

opened
production offices at Steiner last month,
is scheduled to start shooting in Febru¬
ary 2005. Susan Stroman, who directed
the Broadway production, will make her
feature-film-directing debut on the
project. At press time, no director of
photography had been announced.
What about other

productions?

Fine says

there are several film and TV
projects "in the pipeline," but declines
to name them. "When the tax incentive

from the state

was okayed, our phone
didn't stop ringing," he says. Though the
annual cap on the tax credit limits the

number of

productions that can take
advantage of it, "it's a great start," Fine
says. "We want to get the movies here,
get the people working. We will never
match Canada

dollar, but
we

have

a

or

New Zealand dollar for

be competitive. And
huge talent base."
■

we can
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