My nominee for "film czar." He can do anything!
After years of declining movie production in Los Angeles County, the city may finally get an official devoted to keeping Hollywood here, and happy.
How much is the decline in production? A whole lot. This year, only three big-budget movies have applied for permits to shoot in Los Angeles, according to Film LA, which issues them.
That compares to 21 major feature films – meaning those with budgets higher than $80 million – that shot on the streets of the city in 2008. And that figure is down from the peak of 71 films shot with permits in L.A. in 1996.
To many, that feels like red-zone territory.
At a city council meeting on Wednesday, council president Eric Garcetti announced that he would propose the appointment of a “film czar” to focus on film industry efforts and relations with the studios.
Garcetti spokeswomen Julie Wong said Garcetti is not considering any candidates for the new position yet, and he hasn’t decided whether the “czar” will come from the entertainment industry or city government.
“We need a point person. Somebody who can understand the policies and reach out to the studios and producers and tell them how to take advantage,” Wong said. “It’s too early to tell who that person might be.”
B.S. Report–How about a “Business Czar”? Someone with the responsibility to try and keeps businesses from leaving the once “Golden State.” Productive people and companies are flying out of town so fast that “Hollywood” may be the only industry left in L.A.
First order of business for our new “Business Czar”? Cut taxes…no, make that slash taxes across the board. Gee, that was easy.
