As LA looks to stem the flight of productions from the county, we’ve seen some serious efforts going into reforming and improving its existing tax incentive program to be more in line with that offered by other popular states. As part and parcel of these reforms, there have been multiple calls for simplification of the permitting and application process. This past week, we saw unanimous approval from the LA County Board of Supervisors to finally make this happen. To fill us in, we have Blake & Wang P.A. top entertainment lawyer, Brandon Blake.
Unanimous Votes
The motion, which passed without a single no vote, will cut down on some of the often-criticized LA red tape for productions filming in the county, and will additionally introduce a possible $80-$100M fund to back film technology startups.
Removing some of these bureaucratic hurdles for filmmakers should incentivize more productions, especially smaller productions, to film in the area. No doubt they will be well received by the indie projects which currently make up most of the productions filming in the area.
Saving Time and Energy
The new measures include a comprehensive review of the county film permitting process, as well as working with the Sheriff’s Department to cut down on the approval time for hiring departmental assistance for productions. There will also be more clarity around when safety officers and advisors are needed.
There is also a call for exploration of what else the local production landscape needs to simplify its processes, which is where the new “Evergreen Fund” is set to kick in. It will encourage new technology investments for the entertainment industry in the area, as well as offer vocational training for industry workers. Lastly, the measure calls for an exploration into a potential one-year hold on filming fees at country locations, hoping to more directly attack the flight of productions from the area.
It’s great to see the LA powers-that-be finally tackle the many complaints around bureaucratic local processes for filmmakers, and we hope to see these measures take effect soon.
