Industry News :: City manager offers film-production tips

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February 16th, 2006

By Judy O'Rourke, Staff Writer

LA Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - City Manager Ken Pulskamp touted the merits of being a filming-friendly city to a gathering of statewide officials on the lookout for ways to boost their city's bottom line.

Seated on a panel elbow to elbow with a Los Angeles councilman and several entertainment-industry heavyweights last week, Pulskamp shared how Santa Clarita's nimble permit process and hungry pursuit of location shoots helped net more than $16 million in 2005.

Pulskamp was tapped for his know-how by several fans, including Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla, who serves as president of the statewide group that sponsored the event Friday.

"I want to keep production in the city of Los Angeles, but we know the film industry is competitive. If Los Angeles is going to lose film production to somewhere else I would rather it be as local as possible," Padilla said. "What Ken was able to provide at this venueis a true local-government perspective of what production means for a community."

Padilla said when people think of the movie business they often focus on big-name actors, directors and producers or the "eight-dollar cost of a ticket." He wants city officials to think bigger.

"A big reason for the session we had was to educate (leaders) about what production really does for our economy and job creation," he said. "There is a misperception that the Hollywood industry is only important for Los Angeles. Here is a perfect example of that not being the case. It is important for Santa Clarita and should be important for other cities throughout California."

Padilla is the current president of the League of California Cities, a group that provides education and advocacy services for officials in the state's 478 cities. Annual board meetings held in the president's town showcase local issues that have statewide implications. Friday's event, hosted by the Motion Picture Association of America, was held at Paramount Studios.

On Wednesday, Pulskamp reflected on panelists' musings that " Detroit is the place where they used to make cars. ... We want to make sure that Los Angeles doesn't become the place where they used to make films. We were gratified they thought of us when they were looking for a city that works well with the film industry and business in general." Pulskamp had emphasized how an increase in TV production helped neutralize the loss of dollars from film companies that fled to distant shores. "NCIS," "24," HBO's "Deadwood" and "Big Love" are all shot in town.

Pulskamp said an average of three productions film locally each day. "War of the Worlds," "X-Men 3," "Spiderman" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel have filmed here.

The Santa Clarita film office, established in 2002, does not charge a business-license fee or utility-users' tax. Jason Crawford, the city's film administrator, has attributed the area's popularity to its "pro-filming attitude and our proximity to Los Angeles without feeling like Los Angeles."

The film office manages a Web site and has issued a comprehensive film guide designed to help directors, location managers and production companies navigate more easily through the wealth of local resources.

Crawford coordinates road closures and filming in city parks and around town. Santa Clarita is within the desirable 30-mile zone - proximity to Hollywood - along with about 97 other local cities. When film crews set up shop, they fill hotel rooms and buy lumber, supplies, clothing and food.

In 2005, hotel-industry consultant PKF said the city's hotel-occupancy rates - at 81 percent - were among the top in Los Angeles County, Pulskamp said. Filming plays a big role in filling the rooms, he said.

The film business is among the top four industries in Santa Clarita. Ten movie ranches, 20 soundstages and production-related companies operate in town.

Michael Kelly, deputy director of the California Film Commission, which strives to attract and retain filming, said Crawford is "100 percent helpful in finding locations." The organization partners with about 57 local film offices, and Kelly points to Santa Clarita as a good model.

Other popular cities are Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, San Diego, parts of Orange County and San Francisco. But far-flung spots have lured away many candidates. "There are so many financial incentives offered by Louisiana, New York, Canada and New Zealand,"Kelly said. "That's the big issue; people are choosing to film outside California."

Other panelists addressed film issues from their own perspectives. Bryan Unger, Western executive director of the Directors Guild of America, spoke about competition from other states and countries, and

Amy Lemisch, director of the California Film Commission, addressed how cities can present themselves as production-friendly.

"At the end of the day, it really is not about glamour or movie stars; it's about the people behind the scenes you never see on screen," Kelly said.

Judy O'Rourke, (661) 257-5255

judy.orourke@dailynews.com