Mayor Bass Issues Directive to Create Jobs in L.A.’s Film and TV Industry

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Karen Bass May 20 issued a new executive directive to support local film and TV jobs by making it easier for studios and independent producers alike to shoot movies, television shows and commercials here in Los Angeles. The directive lowers costs and streamlines city processes for on-location filming and increases access to iconic city locations including the Central Library, Port of LA and Griffith Observatory to make the City more friendly and supportive of local filming. 

Mayor Bass also renewed her call on the state legislature to pass Gov. Newsom’s proposal to make historic investments in the state film tax credit to make California more competitive with the other states and countries that offer powerful financial incentives to attract productions. The Mayor has been consistent in her support for the entertainment industry – a cornerstone of the Los Angeles economy. 

The enhanced executive directive orders city departments to cut regulations and streamline processes for the film and TV industry. Instructions include:

• Requiring city departments to make iconic city locations more accessible and affordable for filming, such as the Griffith Observatory and the Central Library, by creating guidelines for onsite filming, cutting review timelines and calling for the lowering of certain city fees.
• Lower costs and coordination time by reducing the number of city departmental staff who are assigned to monitor filming on set to one total city staff member, as city law allows. Current practices often require numerous staff to be onsite for a film shoot.
• Instituting a proactive, film-friendly approach to communication between city departments and production, including the communication of upcoming infrastructure projects that could impact filming schedules.

Mayor Bass’ actions to support film and TV jobs in Los Angeles include:

• Established an Entertainment Industry Council to draw on the expertise of industry leaders to act on reversing the departure of productions and to keep production local.
• Issued Executive Directive 8 last year to take steps to support the industry locally, including by establishing monthly task force meetings with key departments and industry stakeholders and requiring all departments to have a designated liaison for film and TV production.
• Created new studio and sound stage concierge services, which cut red tape and provide direct assistance with city departments. The program has helped seven new studios and sound stages. In addition, about 8 million square feet of soundstage, media production, and associated creative office space are in the pipeline within the city.

Mayor Bass, Gov. Newsom and other officials and entertainment industry and labor leaders stood together in proposing a historic expansion of California’s film and television tax credit program, which was originally created when Mayor Bass served as speaker of the California State Assembly. The program has generated tens of billions of dollars in investments while creating nearly 200,000 jobs.