Brookdale Now Offers College Courses In Film Production And Wardrobe

LINCROFT, NJ — To coincide with Netflix opening a film production studio at the old Fort Monmouth Army base (the Oceanport Planning Board just OK'd last week the first four studios to be built), Brookdale Community College is now offering a new series of college courses in the movie and television industry.

On Wednesday, Brookdale held a ribbon-cutting for the brand-new New Jersey Film Academy, located in the Advanced Technology Center building on the Brookdale campus in Lincroft.

The NJ Film Academy will offer three curriculum tracks at Brookdale:

• On Set Production
• Production office and accounting
• Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe

Currently, the only way to register for these classes is by calling 732-224-2315. Classes will begin in spring 2025. Here is the link to the classes: https://www.brookdalecc.edu/co...

Brookdale is Monmouth County's community college.

Supporters say young people enrolled in such courses will be qualified to get internships and jobs in the film industry, which is booming right now in New Jersey:

The reason so many movies are currently filming in New Jersey ("Happy Gilmore 2," the new Bruce Springsteen bio-pic, "Deliver Me From Nowhere," just to name a few) is because Gov. Phil Murphy revived the state's Film and Digital Media Tax Credit. This is a 30 percent tax credit for any movie filmed or produced in New Jersey, plus a 40 percent subsidy for anyone who builds a movie studio in the state.

But that's not all: The tax credit also offers an additional $100 million in tax credits for any film production company that commits to signing a long-term lease to do business in the Garden State, or anyone that purchases or builds New Jersey production facilities. That's why Netflix signed a lease to build film studios at the former Fort Monmouth. If all goes as planned, Netflix plans to turn Fort Monmouth into their U.S. film production headquarters.

"With Netflix's expansion coming to New Jersey, this program is incredibly valuable for aspiring actors, filmmakers and others pursuing careers in the film industry," Brookdale Board of Trustee member Jean Guerdy Paul said this week at the ribbon cutting. "It's amazing that people no longer have to go to New York or California to study film, they can do it right here in New Jersey, with Brookdale as a leading partner."

The NJ Film Academy is actually a statewide college program, and will offer courses at four community colleges: Brookdale, Mercer County Community College, Camden County College and Hudson County Community College. However, a total of thirteen community colleges across the state say they want to launch an NJ Film Academy at their campuses.

Earlier this week: Springsteen Movie Films In Asbury Park Next Week, Extras Still Wanted (Dec. 4)

Oceanport Planning Board Approves First 4 Netflix Film Studios (Dec. 3)