Latest news with #AprilFool'sJoke
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
L.A. Might Have Found A Local Solution To Stop Movies Being Made In Other States
EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles has been trying to find ways to encourage more films and TV series to stay in the city, hoping to stem a 30% reduction over the last five years, according to FilmLA. Now, a small group, including L.A. City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, are working on a local solution to help bring mid-budget movies back to the city. The plan includes reducing 'onerous regulations and permitting' as well other 'unnecessary fees, inconsistent safety requirements.' More from Deadline California Lawmakers Unveil Plans To 'Modernize' Film & TV Tax Incentive Program Via Expanding Eligible Projects, Upping Credit To 35% In LA — Update RuPaul & The Daniels Movies Among 51 Big Screen Projects Awarded California Tax Credits Cliff Booth Lives & It's No April Fool's Joke: Netflix, David Fincher & Brad Pitt Resurrect Tarantino Script Cale Thomas, a special makeup effects artist who is co-chair of the L..A political and legislative subcommittee for IATSE Local 706, and members of CA United have been working with Nazarian and other councilmembers including Hugo Soto Martinez and Nithya Raman. Nazarian has presented and had a motion approved that is now under consideration with L.A.'s chief legislative analyst for approval. It is expected to be back on the floor over the next month. 'Los Angeles has historically been the heart and soul of the entertainment industry. However, the Covid-19 pandemic, recent Hollywood strikes and additional economic constraints have led to a steep decline in local film production. The city must act quickly, as we risk losing significant market share to other areas of the country. In addition to providing stable, well-paying jobs to our residents, the significant boost to our local economy has the potential to bring desperately needed revenue to our City,' said Nazarian. 'The onerous regulations and permitting required by the City are significant obstacles to production companies. Bureaucratic permitting, expensive and often unnecessary fees, inconsistent safety requirements, and lack of City personnel and resources dedicated to filming requests are among the most significant hurdles to our entertainment industry. Prompt action is necessary to bring film, television and commercial production back to Los Angeles,' he added. The group has proposed alternatives for reducing requirements of public safety personnel required at shoots; offering waived or reduced fees for utilizing public property as shoot locations; creating a pool of film-certified public safety officers available for rates competitive with other cities that are currently taking production away from L.A.; identifying and enforcing the price gouging of crew parking and base camps for film shoots; and recommended streamlining the film permitting review process which includes staffing and resources necessary across all departments involved and revising the stage certification process that allow for more stages to certify and limit additional expenses. The city is now working with the Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Recreation and Parks, Bureau of Public Works, Economic Workforce and Development Department, Department of Transportation and FilmLA on these proposals. This comes on top of statewide help that has been proposed in the California legislature. Two California lawmakers introduced two bills to bolster proposals already made by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Nazarian said these bills are 'poised to revitalize production throughout the state. Now, we must do our part at the local level to keep production in Los Angeles.' Thomas has worked on a number of major Marvel and Star Wars movies and series including The Guardians of the Galaxy, Ahsoka and The Mandalorian, as well as movies such as Babylon and series such as Watchmen. But he told Deadline that these proposals are aimed at mid-budget movies up to $20 million, which used to be the lifeblood of Hollywood. 'We're looking at movies like Boyz N the Hood, Fridays and American History X; these are the types of movies historically shot in L.A. that are now completely off the table because their dollars go a lot further in these other markets for a multitude of reasons. It's death by a thousand ants,' he said. 'We're not talking about the Marvels, the Lucasfilms, the Harry Potters, we're not talking about big tentpole franchise IP. Movies like Star Wars have never been made in L.A. We're talking about the jobs that pay our rent,' he added. Best of Deadline TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Everything We Know About 'Black Mirror' Season 7 So Far 'The White Lotus' Season 3 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Arrive On Max?
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC hosting 7-foot transfer portal center for April 2 visit
UNC hosting 7-foot transfer portal center for April 2 visit UNC shouldn't let this 7-foot center leave Chapel Hill without a commitment. Even with a late-season burst from Ven-Allen Lubin, the North Carolina Tar Heels have a massive need they need to address at center for their 2025-2026 season. Outside of Lubin, center production was sparse. Jalen Washington enjoyed a few solid games here and there, but nothing fans want to see from a second-string center. I actually really liked what I saw from Ty Claude in limited minutes, but he's more of a power forward at 6'7". James Brown rarely played, despite the incoming hype about his commitment. Sunshine may very well be on the horizon for UNC, though, which is hosting a transfer portal center from a storied basketball program, that made the Sweet 16 in March. According to InsideCarolina, Arizona Wildcats center Henri Veesaar, a 7-footer who experienced a massive increase in playing time from his freshman season, is expected to visit North Carolina on Wednesday, April 2. We're writing this story on April 1 and – no – this is not an April Fool's Joke. The Tar Heels are actually hosting an uber-tall center for a visit. "We've got to get bigger," UNC head coach Hubert Davis said on his radio show earlier this week. "We just do. From A to Z, we just do. And we talked about the physicality of Ole Miss (in the NCAA Tournament) and their positional size was bigger than us. And pretty much that's the way we were the whole season. So that's one of the things that we're definitely going to address is, we've got to get bigger. In terms of that physicality, you have to have a presence, you have to be bigger. And that's what we're addressing." Thought Veesaar only started five of Arizona's 37 games and averaged just under 21 minutes per game, he set career highs with 9.4 points and five rebounds per content. Veesaar helped the Wildcats nearly knock off Duke in a 100-93 loss during the Sweet 16 – scoring 13 points (7-of-8 on free throws), pulling down six rebounds and blocking one shot. Claude, Jae'Lyn Withers and Jalen Washington are all gone, so a Veesaar commitment is greatly needed. We don't want to see North Carolina strike out this year, like how it did in the 2024 offseason. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
