William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (CNBNewsnet)–A Philadelphia Film Production company was at Freedom Pier, King and Cumberland Streets today shooting a promotion for an upcoming Philadelphia Eagle game. Troy Coffee, head of ProductionHub, a film company located in Philadelphia, said he has been wanting to use Freedom Pier for a ‘shoot’ for some time.
“We got a call to produce this promo on short notice. Normally we would shoot it in Philadelphia but
in recent months it has taken five days or longer to get a permit from the City. We didn’t have that much time, so I thought of Gloucester City, and here we are. I left South Street and arrived here in 14 minutes. I got a hoagie at Tutties (Market and Third Street) and I can’t wait to taste it,” said the producer.
Coffee said they plan on using some dirt bikes in the film being driven on Freedom Pier with the Philly skyline in the background. He didn’t know the exact date the film clip would be shown.
Some of Coffee’s film credits include Hustle (2022), Dispatches from Elsewhere (2020), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).
Seeing the film crew reminded this reporter of the time Michael Keaton was in Gloucester City filming the movie “Clean and Sober”. The production company used a house in the 300 block of Morris Street in one of the scenes. That film was released in 1988.
In the 80s a North Jersey developer approached the City to see if the mayor and council would be interested in his idea to build a movie studio along the riverfront and into the Southport abandoned industrial area. He was calling it “Hollywood East.” The man wanted to be named the primary developer for that area but the governing demanded to see his finances before going any further. He refuses and the City wouldn’t give. The two sides went their separate ways. And the ongoing 40-some-year saga of the much talked about improvements to the city waterfront began.
