Proposal to help LA film production approved by city council
The initiative aims to revitalize local film production and address challenges faced by the industry.
What we know
The proposal, introduced by Councilman Adrin Nazarian, seeks to adjust city fees, permits, parking, and security requirements for filming on city-owned property.
The council has instructed city departments to report back with recommendations within 30 days.
Nazarian emphasized the importance of protecting middle-class workers and the film industry that has put Los Angeles on the global map.
RELATED: Hollywood film production drastically declines as workers struggle to make ends meet
The backstory
Nazarian, a former state legislator, previously authored AB 2936 in 2018 to expand statewide production tax credits, though it did not advance. The current motion comes as state leaders consider two bills aimed at revitalizing production.
Councilwoman Traci Park highlighted the need for competitive tax credits to encourage film production in Los Angeles.
What they're saying
Industry representatives, including Greg Zekowski from the Directors Guild of America, expressed support for the motion, citing the need to address challenges that drive production away from Los Angeles.
Martin Weeks, president of IATSE Local 728, urged the council to support the proposal to prevent job losses.
By the numbers
FilmLA, the city's partner film office, raised permit fees by 4% last year.
Despite this, FilmLA's rates remain below regional averages, with only 40% of fees funding its operations.
The organization reported a 22.4% decline in on-location filming in the first quarter of the year, attributed to various factors including strikes and the pandemic.
What's next
The council's proposal aligns with two state bills, SB 630 and AB 1138, which aim to expand and modernize California's tax credit program.
These bills propose reducing runtime requirements for TV shows and increasing tax credits for productions in specific locations.
The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee are currently reviewing these bills.
Why you should care
The film industry is a significant economic driver for Los Angeles and California.
Supporting local filmmakers through reduced fees and streamlined processes can help retain production in the region, protect jobs, and sustain the industry's contribution to the economy.
The Source
Information for this story is from the office of Councilman Adrin Nazarian.
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CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
L.A. city leaders declare Valley Plaza shopping center a public nuisance
Los Angeles city leaders on Tuesday declared Valley Plaza, a once-thriving shopping center in the San Fernando Valley, a public nuisance after years of disrepair. The decision was unanimously approved by the city's Board of Commissioners of Building and Safety after they heard remarks from City Councilman Adrin Nazarian, who represents the area. He spoke on Tuesday, stating that the site, located at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Victory Boulevard, has been a magnet for crime and concern in recent years. "These ruined buildings have cast a pall on the entire community, depressing commerce for our small businesses, degrading the quality of life for an entire neighborhood, and creating a real danger for the community," said a statement from Nazarian's office. "Once this shopping center was a source of pride to our community; now it's become a blight on the neighborhood and a constant danger to the public. The people of North Hollywood have waited too long. Enough is enough." Now that the decision has been approved, the city can demolish all six buildings in the 17-acre plaza, which is still owned by the Charles Company after it changed hands about a decade ago. It has been vacant since, despite requests from city officials to develop the site or sell it. "Under the Charles Company, the properties have decayed to what you see standing behind me," Nazarian said during a news conference outside the property. "They've been vandalized, covered with graffiti, filled with trash, damaged beyond repair." The Valley Plaza opened in 1951 and has housed a series of prominent grocery and retail stores until it became unoccupied. CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the Charles Company for comment, but has not yet heard back.


Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
North Hollywood's blighted Valley Plaza approved for demolition
Valley Plaza in North Hollywood — once a centerpiece of 1950s commerce that drew John F. Kennedy — has descended into a swath of blight over the years, a collection of neglected buildings and empty parking lots that draw squatters and TV producers in need of an apocalyptic-looking settings. On Tuesday, a panel of Los Angeles city commissioners appointed by Mayor Karen Bass voted to declare a swath of Valley Plaza a public nuisance after a hearing that drew neighbors who complain about decrepit conditions and crime at the site at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Victory Boulevard. The commissioners' vote paves the way for demolition of six buildings in the plaza and ends a long-suffering chapter of commercial neglect in the San Fernando Valley. 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Yahoo
12-08-2025
- Yahoo
Ayo Edebiri Says Directing ‘The Bear' Was Like ‘Making a Venn Diagram Out of a Thousand Circles'
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