The LA Film Office has not been free from scrutiny as California battles against the flight of productions from its destinations, but it seems the institute is here to stay- at least for another 5 years. We have our expert entertainment lawyer from Blake & Wang P.A., Brandon Blake, to tell us more.
Board of Public Works Renewal
FilmLA has now had its contract renewed to act as the region’s film office until 2030. However, some local public advocates are still calling for the nonprofit to overhaul its processes and make the Californian Film and TV Tax Credit program more appealing, hoping to restore the state’s former glory as the go-to shooting destination.
The Board of Public Works, however, was quick to note that it doesn’t have the authority to make specific contractual changes. Instead, they proposed that concerned stakeholders share concrete suggestions with the state for future overhauls. They also established a need for quarterly reporting, and seem willing to request for proposals from both FilmLA and other relevant entities to bid on the contract.
No Blank Check
FilmLA, too, seems open to having contractual structure changes over the next five years, so there’s plenty of reason to hope we will still see some reform within the organization geared toward helping productions better navigate local regulations and procedures. Many believe that slicing through some of this red tape is the key to improving California’s appeal as a filming destination. Whether it’s truly FilmLA’s work to do, or if the city departments need to better address this, is the real question.
There’s certainly an argument to be made that consistency and a familiar face also have a role to play in restoring California’s appeal, so let’s choose to see this renewal, and the acknowledgement of the bureaucratic issues dogging permitting in LA, as a positive development for the Californian film landscape.
Film and Television 