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« Ausiello Report
Ugly Betty's Move to New York: "It's a Done Deal"
America Ferrera by Vivian Zink/ABC
When it comes to New York, Ugly Betty has apparently come to the conclusion that nothing beats the real thing.
In a fairly unprecedented move for an established hour drama, ABC has decided to shift the show's entire production to within stalking distance of me New York next season. The real New York. "It's a done deal," says one Betty insider.
Although Ugly Betty is set in the Big Apple, the show is shot entirely in La La Land. Whenever Gotham is featured as a backdrop in a scene, what you're probably seeing is a studio backlot, a random street in downtown L.A. or, in the case of Betty's Queens nabe, an elaborate green screen.
Although an ABC Studios spokesperson was unavailable for comment, my Betty source says Alphabet execs see the East Coast move as both a way to cut costs ("It's generally cheaper to shoot in the city you're trying to portray") and give the show an authentic New York feel. It's doubtful they'll get much resistance from the actors, many of whom either hail from New York (Vanessa Williams and Ana Ortiz) or have called it home at one time (Juilliard grad Michael Urie).
As far as I'm concerned — and by "I," I mean me and you, too — it sounds win-win. You see, it's much easier to stalk interview BFFs Urie, Ortiz and Becki Newton if they live just a few blocks away as opposed to a few thousand miles. Duh.
Related:
• Ugly Betty Staffers Blame Terminator for their Termination
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May 6, 2008 1:06 PM
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i LOVE this idea! Ana, Vanessa and Becki are all native East Coasters and I for one think Betty will be even better (bettyer) if they could do actual location shoots, etc. It'd feel even more realistic, even more little Queens girl in the big Manhattan pond-esque if it wasn't actually an LA soundstage.
Now, if only Dirty Sexy Money would do the same...
Thanks Aus! 
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May 6, 2008 2:00 PM
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I think this is a great idea! I find the scenes shot in downtown LA distracting because it never looks authentic. Plus I would love to come across them shooting.
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May 6, 2008 2:02 PM
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I guess they want to follow the HUGE HUGE HUGE popularity of Gossip Girl in NYC right now
BUt since Ugly betty inside most of the time anyways I find it pointless. And I don't really see them doing the whole NYC thing the way Gossip Girl does it...
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May 6, 2008 2:04 PM
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but karaleefan i think probably part of the reason they dont' do the whole NYC thing the way Gossip Girl does is because they can't.GG films on location in NYC, as well as at Silvercup Studios in Queens. Betty films at an L.A. soundstage. By the very definition of where each show is, there's obviously no way Betty could be as realistically set-in-New York as the actually set-and-filmed-in-New York Gossip Girl.
Part of the shows charm is Queens girl Betty trying to fit in in big bad Manhattan and I think if we actually got to see scenes that were really filmed in NYC, it'd make the show a lot more realistic and fun. And it'd introduce a whole other aspect to the show.
I wonder how America feels about this? I had heard she and her BF were buying a house in L.A. together
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May 6, 2008 2:12 PM
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Awesome! I'm moving to the City in August. Can't wait to stalk!
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May 6, 2008 2:20 PM
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I got yer precedent right here...
Law & Order famously made this very same move many, many years ago.
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May 6, 2008 2:29 PM
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I love love this idea!! The pilot episode was shot entirely in NY. You have to be totally blind not to realize the show is shot outside of NY. The one thing I loved about Sex & the City and Law & Order, the city of New York was a character too. It was Authentic. You KNEW they were in NY and not some faux backlot in LA. One of the reasons why Vanessa Williams took the job on UB because it shot in her home state of NY. Most of the cast was living in NY. They found out the 2nd episode ABC wanted them in LA. Thank goodness Dick Wolf & Darren Star knew to stay put in the City!! I think this is the best move for UB.
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May 6, 2008 2:34 PM
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Great! Now can someone please talk Project Runway out of moving to LA?? And Lifetime while they're at it?
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May 6, 2008 2:38 PM
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While they're at it, ABC should send Dirty Sexy Money to NYC, too. Another show that suffers from not filming in the city it's set in.
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May 6, 2008 2:42 PM
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I'll say this ... I am of the opinion that every show that takes place in NYC should be shot in NYC, because although you can imitate the Big Apple (and sometimes even halfway decently) you can never replace it.
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May 6, 2008 2:46 PM
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I don't get how shooting on location, particularly in a big busy city like NYC could possibly be cheaper than shooting virtually everything on bluescreen.
I have always been very impressed with the job they do for betty, it has never looked fake to me.
I could see it maybe looking more real, especially if they go to certain well-known locations. But this seems like it would be more expensive, not less.
And ratings have been slipping, they can't afford to raise costs at this point.
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May 6, 2008 2:48 PM
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green screen is very expensive, minderbinder. and NYC makes it very much worth a filmmaker's while, as they often give discounts, etc. to people filming on location in NYC as a way to bring film makers back here post-9/11.
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May 6, 2008 2:55 PM
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Michael--any word on staffers who might not want to make the cross-continental move with the show (because they don't want to uproot their families, they have outstanding warrants for their arrest in the State of New York, whatever)? Because so long as everyone makes the move, I think it's a great idea!
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May 6, 2008 3:02 PM
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I think it's great! You can only fake the NYC scenery for so long. I do cringe every so often when I see the "NY shots". Way to go ABC!
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May 6, 2008 3:13 PM
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