New NBC series 'Dig' to begin filming in Jerusalem

Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Minister Bennett says "a series in Israel is worth more than a thousand publicity tours of the country."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
(L-R) S.J. Clarkson - Director, Nate Goodman – Director of Photography, Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett. (photo credit: Courtesy)
(L-R) S.J. Clarkson - Director, Nate Goodman – Director of Photography, Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The American media company NBC Universal plans to start filming an action-adventure series this week in Jerusalem.
The series, Dig, is co-written by Gideon Raff, who co-created the popular US show Homeland, which drew inspiration from the Israeli series Hatufim.
The capital is slated to play a central role in the storyline of the series, which portrays FBI agents uncovering a conspiracy in the Old City while investigating the murder of an American archeologist.
Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett met with crew members – including actors Jason Isaacs and Anne Heche and director S.J. Clarkson – who arrived in the city last week.
“A picture is worth a thousand words – sometimes shooting a series in Israel is worth more than a thousand publicity tours of the country,” he said.
“The filming of Dig will be a boon for the production industry in Jerusalem, drawing more of them to come film here, create new jobs and encourage investments in the city,” Bennett added.
The series, NBC’s first largescale production filmed in Jerusalem, is scheduled to be broadcast in the United States at the end of 2014.