New York Film Locations



The Youngest Film Location Fan

13 December 2017

Meet what otsoNY believes to be the world’s youngest film location fan. Bailey Coyne was just 6 years old when she discovered her love for film locations, and it was during this time that she travelled to New York City with her father Paul Coyne to see for herself film locations from ‘Home Alone 2’, ‘When Harry Met Sally’, and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. Now 7 years old, otsoNY caught up with Bailey and her father to talk about their travels and love of film.


Film Location Fan Bailey Coyne

Television producer and editor, Paul Coyne lives and works in Los Angeles. “My daughter Bailey has picked up my love of film over the years,” smiled Paul. “She now makes her own movies and has already won a few awards for her work. This year, she sent a script that she wrote to Elf’s Ed Asner through social media and he agreed to make an appearance in a film she was making for school. After she posted that film, she was asked to write a blog for Avid’s website because she is only seven and was using their editing software to put her movie together. A school in Australia also contacted us and asked if she would lecture to their second grade class about how she made the movie.”


Film Location Fans Paul and Bailey at Times Square

Inspired to travel by watching movies, Bailey and her father visited New York in the July 2016. “When school lets out, we like to visit someplace new,” explained Paul. “Bailey had never been to New York before and we thought it would be a great place to spend July 4th, see some shows and visit some famous sites. Every time we travel someplace, we watch movies set in that location, which inspires us to visit the actual settings.”


Film Location Fans Paul and Bailey at Liberty Island

Two years previous, and the pair had visited the small town of Cong in Ireland where ‘The Quiet Man’ had been filmed. “It was the first time Bailey had seen locations used in a film and most surprising, the locations had changed very little in sixty years.” It was during this trip that the pair made a short documentary video. “Bailey and I have made little movies since she was very young and she suggested we make a documentary about ‘The Quiet Man’ locations.” Paul continued, “She asked for some cast info, though pretty much led the way with what we shot. That sparked a tradition in which we study movie locations before we visit someplace special, and then we shoot a little movie about it.”


Bailey Coyne re-enacts a scene from Home Alone 2

With New York City, home to so many of Bailey’s favourite movies that include ‘Annie’, ‘Ghostbusters’ ‘Night at the Museum’ and ‘Enchanted’, it was a natural decision to film their next documentary in the Big Apple. “One of my favourite movies is ‘Home Alone 2’”, exclaimed Bailey. “And I was really hoping to stay at The Plaza.” Paul interjected, “Unfortunately, all of the rooms were taken, so we couldn’t stay there, though Bailey did get to see the fountain out front which had featured in another of her favourite films, ‘The Muppets Take Manhattan’”.


Bailey Coyne at the Snack Shack from Night at the Museum

During their stay in Manhattan, the pair not only visited as many of the famous sites as possible, but also found time to recreate stills from certain movies such as ‘A Thousand Clowns’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. “When we travel, we like to plan but we always let our adventure and interests lead the way,” explained Paul. “We visited many of the hallmark New York City locations such as Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Macy’s and the Natural History Museum.” Paul continued, “For me, I love crime and street films of the 70s like ‘Dog Day Afternoon’, ‘The French Connection’, ‘Mean Streets’, ‘The Taking of Pelham One-two-Three’, ‘Across 110th Street’, ‘Cops and Robbers’, ‘Saturday Night Fever’ and ‘Serpico’. I also love 70s comedies like the Woody Allen films, especially ‘Annie Hall’ and ‘The Front’, though my favourite New York location films are most defiantly from ‘Sweet Smell of Success’, ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ‘A Thousand Clowns’”.


Film Location Fans Paul and Bailey Coyne at the New York Public Library

Bailey’s favourite parts of New York included riding the subway, dining at Katz’s Deli and chilling out in Central Park. Paul recalls, “Though she was a bit disappointed when she realised that the museum in ‘Night at the Museum’ was not the real thing. However, she was fascinated to see how the set designers took the real thing and transformed it into a set.” When asked why Bailey likes to visit movie locations, she replied, “When I visit movie locations, I learn that you can use real life places to make other people happy by putting them in a movie. The difference is that real life, it’s dirtier than in movies!”


Bailey Coyne having Breakfast at Tiffany's

With Christmas just a few weeks away, Bailey’s ‘Must Watch Movie List’ includes such classics as ‘Elf’ and ‘Home Alone 2’. “My favourite scene from ‘Home Alone 2’ is the one with the bird lady,” smiled Bailey. “It took place in Central Park and Kevin gives her the dove ornament. It's a very sweet scene because Christmas is about togetherness. The two bird ornaments were given to Kevin in a shop and he was told you give one to your friend. It’s a nice scene and I liked that we saw the bridge where it happened and could see The Plaza from there.”


Bailey Coyne at the top of the Empire State Building

Since returning home, Bailey and her father have posted several short films on YouTube. “I don’t know where her passions will take her in life,” concluded Paul, “But I love that she is letting her imagination and sense of adventure lead the way. Our visit to New York was thrilling and eye-opening for her. We met so many colourful and inviting people, from jewellery store managers to officers of the NYPD. We visited the Empire State Building and firehouses affected by 9/11. It was a learning experience as well as a real life amusement park for us. She ate at diners, hot dog stands, White Castle and the Soup Man’s. So much life packed into Manhattan. We will definitely return.”

Special thanks to Paul and especially to Bailey for their amazing insight into their love of New York film locations, and be sure to watch Bailey's informative tour of New York City film locations.



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