At the same time the Academy Awards is being criticized for its lack of diversity, the media industry in NY is marking a decade of helping to expand opportunities in the booming business. Brooklyn reporter Jeanine Ramirez has the story.

Robert deNiro and Anne Hathaway swooped into 17 Brooklyn neighborhoods shooting 'The Intern'. The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment says the movie generated $45 million of economic activity in the borough. And that was just one of 336 films made in New York last year, an industry that's expanding.

"The media industry in New York encompassing film and TV and other media platforms is an $8.7 billion industry for New York City employing over 130,000 New Yorkers," said Julie Menin, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.

Menin says its goal is not only to help the industry grow but also to diversify it.

The office is marking the tenth anniversary of its 'Made In New York' production assistant's program and invited the more than 600 New Yorkers who have gone through the five-week training program for the celebration.

"I've always wanted to be in the film and TV industry, but I never knew how to approach entering," said one. "Made in New York gave me an incredible network of resources."

"Before I did the training I was seriously considering leaving New York because of lack of opportunities here and the training kind of like, revitalized my love for the city as a native New Yorker and just kind of gave me a little more hope," said another.

Most got more than hope — they got a job.

"Fifty-three percent of the participants are women," Menin said. "95 percent of the participants are people of color. And we have a 97 percent job placement rate."

The Mayor's office partners with Brooklyn Workforce Innovations to help get the trainees employed.

"I've been working pretty much steadily," said one.

"I became an assistant director in the Director's Guild of America," said another.

"Now I'm a set dresser on one of the biggest TV shows on TV," said a third.

About 800 people apply for the 80 slots in the production assistant program every year. Those selected say the job is hard work.

"As a production assistant you are the first person to be on set and probably the last person to leave," said one.

Hard work, but a steady role, which is all anyone in the movie industry can ask for.