Film production in New York
Between June and December, usable daylight in New York moves by 5h 47min — from 15h 04min down to 9h 17min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile and the local production landscape.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in New York rises at 05:25 and sets at 20:30; the evening golden hour starts at 19:48 and runs for 41 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:14–16:30, with a 44-minute golden-hour window from 15:47.
In practice, a spread of 5h 47min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:19 | 16:53 | 9h 35min | 16:11 |
| February | 06:51 | 17:31 | 10h 40min | 16:53 |
| March | 07:09 | 19:03 | 11h 54min | 18:27 |
| April | 06:18 | 19:35 | 13h 17min | 18:59 |
| May | 05:40 | 20:07 | 14h 27min | 19:27 |
| June | 05:25 | 20:30 | 15h 04min | 19:48 |
| July | 05:38 | 20:27 | 14h 49min | 19:47 |
| August | 06:07 | 19:56 | 13h 49min | 19:18 |
| September | 06:37 | 19:07 | 12h 30min | 18:31 |
| October | 07:08 | 18:17 | 11h 10min | 17:40 |
| November | 06:44 | 16:39 | 9h 56min | 15:59 |
| December | 07:14 | 16:30 | 9h 17min | 15:47 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in New York starts at 20:50 in June and ends at 21:03 — a window of 13 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 16:49. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:03) and September (19:07) there are 4 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
New York averages 14 rain days in July and 8 in November. A three-day exterior shoot in July statistically loses 1.4 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.4 °C | 10 | 6.1 |
| February | 1.2 °C | 10 | 6.9 |
| March | 4.8 °C | 11 | 8.2 |
| April | 10.4 °C | 12 | 8.8 |
| May | 16.1 °C | 12 | 9.9 |
| June | 21.3 °C | 11 | 11.1 |
| July | 24.9 °C | 14 | 11.6 |
| August | 24.0 °C | 13 | 10.9 |
| September | 20.4 °C | 10 | 9.1 |
| October | 14.5 °C | 10 | 7.8 |
| November | 8.0 °C | 8 | 7.1 |
| December | 3.5 °C | 11 | 5.6 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is das Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting — Genehmigungen für Drehs im öffentlichen Raum werden dort gebührenfrei erteilt. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: nyc.gov/film
Incentives and rebates
Produktionen im Bundesstaat New York können den New York State Film Tax Credit nutzen. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: esd.ny.gov
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in New York?
In June it starts at 19:48 and lasts 41 minutes; in December it starts at 15:47 and lasts 44 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in New York get?
Between 9h 17min in December and 15h 04min in June. The 5h 47min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in New York?
Combining daylight and rain days, June comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.