L.A. scrambling to bring back film crews — The West Ranch Beacon

Facing a sharp decline in the shooting of big-budget productions in Los Angeles, city officials are considering hiring a “film czar” to promote their interests with the multibillion-dollar entertainment industry.

Just three major films – those with budgets more than $75 million – are scheduled to be shot in L.A. this year, city officials said reports the Daily News.

By comparison, more than 100 major films were shot in L.A. in 2007, and 22 in 2008.

City Council President Eric Garcetti said the liaison would be an advocate for Los Angeles.

“We need to have one person here who the industry can go to and who can tell us what we need to do,” Garcetti said.

Paul Audley, who coordinates film permits as president of Film L.A., said Los Angeles simply can’t compete with out-of-state locales luring away production with tax breaks, free services and other incentives. Exacerbating the problem is hostility from residents who don’t want film companies disrupting their neighborhoods.

“This is a mobile industry,” Audley said. “They can pick up and film anywhere they want.”

California lawmakers, too, have recognized the problem. The state budget adopted last week includes a program that will provide $100 million in incentives annually for the next five years to the film industry in the Golden State.

Given the current economic climate, the loss of entertainment revenue and jobs is especially harmful to Los Angeles. The city’s Economic Development Corp. estimates more than 117,000 jobs are connected to the industry, which generates $38 billion annually for the region.

Told that production companies complain about a weekend ban on filming in city parks, Councilman Tom LaBonge said he will schedule a special meeting of the council’s Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee to consider developing a new policy.

Garcetti said several other issues should be explored, such as reducing the business tax for filmmakers and dealing with neighborhood complaints.

Audley said Film L.A. is developing a program to explain to residents the importance of the industry to the city and also is working with the industry to be more respectful of community concerns.