Yoni Bokser, Tim Clark, Debby Goedeke, Eric Granger
Yoni Bokser, Executive Director, NYS Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development (Moderator)
As Executive Director of MPTV, Yoni works with government and industry partners to facilitate film and TV production across New York State. MPTV serves as the primary liaison between NYS and entertainment production industry, coordinating with state agencies and marketing New York's amazing talent, locations, and incentives. In addition to managing MPTV, he focuses on New Media and the economic recovery of Broadway and theater. Mr. Bokser has been with Empire State Development since 2015, working to grow jobs and opportunities across NYS through industry outreach and education and the creation and implementation of targeted recovery programs. He has worked with unions, universities, media companies, local government, and legislators to craft programs and policies to ensure that New York has a highly trained workforce that represents New York’s diversity and is ready to meet the demands of the state's ever-changing and growing arts and media industry. Yoni Bokser is a lifelong New Yorker, with over a decade of experience working in government, politics, policy and economic development at the city, state, federal, and international levels.
Tim Clark was named Director of the Buffalo Niagara Film Office in 2006. He serves as Film Commissioner for the Western Region of New York State. In that role he is responsible for marketing the region to the worldwide film, television and commercial production industry.
He has assisted in bringing some of the biggest movie studios to the area including film productions from Universal Pictures, Paramount, Warner Bros., Disney and many others. In addition, he has helped to draw numerous independent feature movies with stars such as Bradley Cooper, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Kate Hudson, Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
Clark has also aided in bringing hundreds of television shows to Western New York including NBC’s “The Office,” History Channel’s “Top Gear” and ABC Television’s “Mega-stunt” program featuring Nik Wallenda walking live over Niagara Falls to a global TV audience.
In January 2020, he was elected Chairman of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) a worldwide organization representing over 300 film offices on 6 different continents. In that role he served two years and worked closely with movie studio executives, screen sector professionals and colleagues around the world to develop global policy used in the making of motion pictures. He also helped lead the AFCI and the motion picture industry through the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Clark holds a BA in Communications from Canisius College, and he graduated from Canisius High School in Buffalo. He was awarded the degree of “Certified Film Commissioner” from AFCI University signifying achievement of the highest level of accomplishment in the profession. He is also a board member of Mercy Flight of Western New York and life member of the National Eagle Scout Association, Boy Scouts of America. As a life-long Western New Yorker, Tim Clark relies on a deep network of contacts to assist in servicing the numerous productions that shoot in our region.
Debby Goedeke is currently the Albany County Film Commissioner for Film Albany, a division of Discover Albany, and Destination Services Manager of Discover Albany. Debby has been in that role for over 19 years. Since 2000 Debby has also worked as Vice-President of Meetings & Conventions for Empire Meeting Solutions, Guilderland, NY, and a Corporate Sales Manager for the Crowne Plaza Albany hotel. Debby assists all of her clients by matching up the right "Albany" resource for their film shoots, conferences, conference needs, sporting tournaments, and corporate meetings. Debby continues to work with the motion picture industry, and independent film community and assists documentaries, commercials, and television projects. Debby has worked with SALT, The Other Guys, Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight, Fourth Man Out, As You Are, The Pretenders, Then Came You, The Punisher, HBO Successions, Amazon's Modem Love, Mother's Milk, HBO White House Plumbers, Gilded Age, Showtime's 3 Women, The Good Mother, and other feature film/television productions.
Debby is a member of Film USA, one of the founding members of the Capital Region & Adirondack Film Alliance, Advisory Member of Upstate Women in Film and Television, Regional Film Commission Member of the New York Production Alliance, Capital Region Chamber Member, Destinations International Member, Professional Convention Management Association Member and Past President of the Northeast Chapter of Meeting Professionals International.
Debby is a native of Keene, NY in the High Peaks region. Debby, in her spare time, enjoys running and participating in triathlons and marathons. Debby and her husband Art live in Delmar, NY with their fur babies Echo and Nova.
Eric Granger has been associated with the Lake Placid Film Festival for 20 years. He has spent 30 years in the Film and Television Industry, serving as a Location Scout, Project Manager, and Actor, and is a registered Adirondack Guide. Currently, Eric serves as a Film Judge for the Berlin International CineFest, the Lake Placid Film Festival, and the NYC Independent Film Festival.He also is the Founder and CEO of Aracari Films, LLC, a content contributor for GoldenNetworkTV, Director of the Lake Placid Film Festival's Shorts' Competition, Director of the Adirondack Film Commission, and a Film Scout.
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