May 24, 2012

Allentown, PA

by Mallory Potosky | Published October 1, 2007

In 1762, Pennsylvania Chief Justice William Allen planted roots in the state’s Lehigh Valley. He called the place Northamptontown, but as recognition of his devotion to the area and the respect he received from the locals, the acreage came to be known as “Allen’s Town.” What started as a small community centered on the advancements of the Industrial Revolution is today a small community centered on much the same. Over the years the area has modernized but those small-town values remain a constant. Allentown’s fame is largely derived from the safe haven it provided the Liberty Bell during Britain’s search for the American icon, Billy Joel’s popular 1980s single “Allentown” and, if local Zeke Zelker gets his way, for its moviemaking opportunities.

Nearly 10 years ago Zelker began the production company Independent Dream Machine, headquartered right in the heart of this Pennsylvania metropolis. What drew him was the landscape, which can easily accommodate movies set in bustling cities, rural farmlands and the occasional early American drama. “The architecture, spanning from the late 1600s to today, and the rural to urban landscape, all within five miles of each other is very cinematically interesting,” Zelker explains.

More than the variety of locations and the accessibility to nearby Philadelphia and Manhattan, moviemakers looking to film in Allentown, Pennsylvania have the opportunity to take advantage of the state’s rebate program, which returns up to 25 percent of a production’s expenses. With so much rich history in the state and the continued importance it holds to the nation, Allentown and Pennsylvania at large offer great incentives to using land (sometimes even for free--see rules pertaining to government property) for movie production. For more information, stay tuned for the release of Zelker’s Allentown-based In Search Of and the new Creativity in Focus incentive guidelines, soon to be released by the Pennsylvania Film Office.

For more information on Zelker and his Independent Dream Machine, visit http://www.idreammachine.com.

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Comment by Allentown Pennsylvania on 8/10/08 at 8:06 pm

Allentown, Pennsylvania can draw anyone in, it is a great town to live in.

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Comment by rogerr2008 on 11/15/08 at 1:48 am

Many of Pennsylvania’s amusement parks are historic treasures, built around the turn of the century by the trolley companies to drum up weekend business. A step back in time, most are still owned by the same families and still contain many of the same classic attractions like fun houses, wooden coasters, whip rides and tunnels of love. Idlewild, located in Ligonier, is the third oldest amusement park in the country, and Kennywood in Pittsburgh is designated as a national historic landmark.
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Comment by Allentown PA Personal Injury Attorneys on 8/13/09 at 5:07 pm

I didn’t know that it was Allentown that harbored the Liberty Bell during the Revolution!

Comment by Tower Defense Games on 9/25/09 at 1:42 pm

First of all I must say that it’s a great city that has a lot to offer to its people.It is Pennsylvania’s third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.The city also has a rich musical heritage of civilian concert bands, and is home to the Allentown Band, the oldest civilian concert band in the United States.

Comment by drivers on 9/24/10 at 6:19 pm

Hello, you are really talented on writing article. That’s very helpful and interesting!

Comment by miami auto repair on 12/19/10 at 1:32 pm

Pennsylvania has so much to offer!!the views and anvironment is such a pleasure to go there.
Its development has been very fast thanks to the commitment of the community and the hard work of its citizens