UPPER WEST SIDE — Film production companies are waving an olive branch at Upper West Siders —in the form of free movie tickets.
Local residents were recently treated to a free screening of the Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy comedy "Tower Heist," as a thank you for putting up with the movie's filming there last year.
The film set took over several blocks around Central Park West and West 61st Street to recreate the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for a pivotal scene in the movie, which also stars Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda.
As a show of gratitude, several hundred locals were treated to a free screening at the Regal E-Walk on 42nd Street last week, said Marybeth Ihle, spokeswoman for the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.
In early December, residents can attend a free showing of "New Year's Eve," an forthcoming romantic comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert De Niro that was filmed all over New York City.
"It's a thank you for the community," Ihle said.
Similar free screenings were offered after the filming of "American Gangster" in Harlem and "Fighting" in Chelsea, and the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment wants to arrange more in the future, she added.
"The city of New York just wants to thank local residents for hosting productions," Ihle said.
Though the city touts the economic benefits of film productions, residents sometimes grumble about lost parking, blocked streets and other headaches created by movie sets.
In the summer of 2010, an angry Upper West Sider head-butted a production assistant on the set of "Premium Rush" after he was told he couldn't cross the street while filming was in progress.
Earlier this year, Upper West Siders complained about being given only a few hours notice to move their parked cars for the filming of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.
But film production companies have also been known to make donations to local nonprofits and community groups as a show of gratitude for the inconvenience they cause. Columbia Pictures donated $7,500 to Friends of Morningside Park after scenes for "Premium Rush" were shot there.
Ihle noted that 100,000 New Yorkers make their living in behind-the-scenes jobs in the television and movie industry.
"When you see them on your block," she said, "you're really seeing your fellow New Yorkers."
The exact date and location of the December screening of "New Year's Eve" hasn't been named yet. Tickets are being distributed by City Councilwoman Gale Brewer's office. Call 212-873-0282 for more information.
