Silvercup Studios

Silvercup Studios is a major film and television production facility located in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Founded in 1983 by brothers Alan Suna and Stuart Suna, it was instrumental in revitalizing the area's industrial waterfront and became a cornerstone of New York's entertainment industry. The complex is renowned for its expansive sound stages and has hosted a vast array of iconic television series and feature films, contributing significantly to the city's cultural and economic landscape.

History

The facility was established in a former Silvercup Bakery factory, a landmark building whose signage was preserved and became the studio's namesake. Its early success was bolstered by the New York City film production boom of the 1980s and 1990s, attracting projects like the HBO series The Sopranos. This period saw the studio expand its footprint, converting additional industrial buildings along the East River into modern production spaces. The growth mirrored broader initiatives by the Mayor's Office and the New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development to compete with Los Angeles and Vancouver.

Facilities

The main campus comprises multiple interconnected buildings housing over 20 sound stages, including some of the largest in the Northeastern United States. Stages are equipped for complex set construction and feature high ceilings, ample power grids, and sophisticated lighting grid systems. The complex also offers extensive production office space, mill shops, dressing rooms, and dedicated support areas for set decoration. A separate facility, Silvercup East, was later developed to provide additional stage and office capacity, ensuring the studio could accommodate multiple large-scale productions simultaneously.

Productions

The studio has been the primary production home for numerous landmark television series, profoundly shaping modern television. Key shows filmed here include Sex and the City, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In film, it has hosted major studio productions such as The Bourne Ultimatum, Birdman, and John Wick. The versatile stages have also accommodated music videos for artists like Madonna and Beyoncé, and commercials for global brands such as Nike and Coca-Cola.

Significance and impact

Its rise was a catalyst for the transformation of Long Island City into a major media production hub, attracting ancillary businesses and further investment to the area. The consistent demand for its stages has provided thousands of jobs for members of IATSE locals, including Motion Picture Studio Mechanics, and the Directors Guild of America. By enabling long-running series production entirely within New York City, it helped shift the industry's economic center and demonstrated the viability of large-scale television production outside of California.

Ownership and operations

The studio remains privately owned and operated by the founding Suna family, with Alan Suna serving as Chief Executive Officer. Operations are managed with a focus on long-term client relationships, offering full-service production support from pre-production through post-production. The business model emphasizes flexibility and client service, securing repeat engagements from major networks like HBO, NBC, ABC, and Netflix. This approach has maintained its status as a premier destination for high-profile projects within the competitive New York film industry.