Mayor Gray's Silver Screen Dreams

Vincent Gray is a big Sex and the City fan.  The Post's Tim Craig teased that out of him in an interview before he became mayor.  Then Council Chair Gray admitted to sneaking out of the office midday to catch "Sex and the City 2" in the film's opening week.

"They always manage to stay together," Gray told the Post about the 'Sex' girls. "They rally around each other and support each other when it matters most."

He's brought that enthusiasm for film to to the mayor's office.  Since taking over, Gray has made a big push to court Hollywood, and the city is seeing the results.  The Office of Motion Picture and Television spokesperson Leslie Green said media production companies have spent $20 million in D.C. this year.  That's up from $12.5 million spent in the District last year.

Green said T.V. and film productions created 3,775 local jobs this year, up from 2,494 jobs last year.

Those productions include big features, like J. Edgar and Safe House.  They also include TV productions like the USA show "Covert Affairs," and NBC's legal drama "the Firm."

Green said that bringing filming to the District benefits more than just the media industry - caterers, hotels, and restaurants all see increased economic activity.

This July, while in California for a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Gray swung by Tinseltown to meet and greet some Hollywood bigs.  At a Hollywood luncheon, Gray pitched the District's big and small screen charms to 20 media executives.

In addition to the current productions, future projects in development include a fourth installment of Bourne Identity, and the television show NCIS.

Thus far, no word yet on a Sex and the City 3.

To find out more about production in D.C., check out the Office of Motion Picture and Television Development site here.

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