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Home My WebLink About2004-07-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - FILM UNINCORPORATED AREA SC (2)Agenda Item: _ _3 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: Jason Crawford DATE: July 13, 2004 SUBJECT: FILM PERMITTING IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY DEPARTMENT: City Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council direct staff to work with the County, the community, and the film industry to explore the logistics of the City of Santa Clarita issuing film permits in the unincorporated area of the Santa Clarita Valley. BACKGROUND At the June 22, 2004, City Council meeting, staff was directed to bring this item back to Council based on public comment. Also, City Council and City staff received a letter regarding film permitting in the unincorporated area of the Santa Clarita Valley on July 2, 2004. This letter is attached. Staff contacted the County in reference to the letter and to discuss this issue. Currently the City of Santa Clarita issues film permits for all on -location filming that occurs within the City. The Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) issues all film permits in the unincorporated County areas. There has been a 55% increase in filming within City limits since the City began issuing film permits on February 1, 2003. The City has received multiple requests from the community and the film industry to issue film permits throughout the entire Santa Clarita Valley including the unincorporated County areas. The reasons cited include confusion between City and County boundaries and positive customer service experiences with the City. The film industry does not distinguish between City and County boundaries; whether they are filming at a residence in the City or at a movie ranch in the County, they view all the locations as 'Santa Clarita Valley' locations and therefore rely on the City film office to scout and coordinate locations as well as to resolve conflicts. APPROVED City staff currently devotes a considerable amount of time and resources marketing, coordinating, and resolving conflicts for filming that occurs in the unincorporated areas of the Santa Clarita Valley. It is estimated that 60% of the marketing and scouting functions of the City film office are spent specifically on the unincorporated area, functions the EIDC does not perform. Currently fees for film permits are lower in the City of Santa Clarita than in the unincorporated County area. It is estimated that if the City began issuing film permits across the entire Santa Clarita Valley, the fees for filming in the unincorporated area would be reduced to match the fees in the City, while at the same time providing a higher level of service. The City of Santa Clarita has a vested interest in ensuring that the Santa Clarita Valley remains attractive to filming. Many Santa Clarita residents are employed by the film industry and there is a significant economic impact to the local community attributable to on -location filming. To continue efforts to attract and retain filming in Santa Clarita, staff feel the City must respond to the requests the City has received to explore film permitting throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other action as determined by Council. FISCAL IMPACT To be determined. ATTACHMENTS Community support letter June 30, 2004 Supervisor Michael Antonovich 869 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 W Temple St #869 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Dear Supervisor Antonovich: First of all, thank you for all you do to keep filming in Los Angeles County. As you know, the film industry is one of the greatest economic engines we have. We desperately need to put a stop to run -away production and keep filming here in our region. It is because of your continued support of the film industry that we write you with this request. We would like to explore having the Santa Clarita Valley Film Office (SCVFO) issue film permits for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. Our main goals are to stabilize and grow the film industry in Los Angeles County, specifically in the Santa Clarita Valley, and light run -away production. The best ways to accomplish our goals are to provide better customer service to the film industry and to reduce the current film permit fees. We strongly believe that both your objectives and ours would be accomplished if the SCVFO had the responsibility of issuing film permits for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. The SCVFO is our local film office, and we have been involved and volunteered with it since it was with the Chamber of Commerce. We've seen firsthand the successful changes and positive impact the City has had on filming since they began issuing film permits. The SCVFO is able to charge lower fees for permits than the EIDC, have more personal contact with film productions, are familiar with our area, and want to increase filming. We rely on the SCVFO, as our local film office, for many things because either the EIDC does not perform these functions or we feel the SCVFO can perform them better: • to represent us to the community • to liaison with the film industry • to market our locations • to coordinate filming and resolve conflicts. Just as importantly, the SCVFO is who the film industry looks to first when filming in the Santa Clarita Valley. The film industry thinks of the Santa Clarita Valley as one place, whether they are filming in the stages inside the City or at the movie ranches in the unincorporated County, or any of the residential and business areas in between. This is a great benefit for all of us because the more filming that is based in the stages, the more filming we have at the ranches and vice -versa. The film industry doesn't want to know where the City ends and the County starts — they just want to get filming done. The film industry expects the high level of customer service that the SCVFO provides and they expect to be able to handle all filming throughout the Santa Clarita Valley with that office. Right now, film companies work with the SCVFO to find the location, to coordinate with the community and then they get handed off to the EIDC for the paperwork. It is confusing and frustrating for us, and for the film industry to have to be transferred from the people we know and work with at our local film office over to the EIDC which is located in Hollywood. There are many specific examples that show why having both the SCVFO and the EIDC issuing permits in the Santa Clarita Valley is not the solution, including: • there is confusion about the jurisdictional boundaries • often times when a film is shooting at an EIDC location, the surrounding neighbors are in the City and when they are not notified properly by the EIDC problems arise, complicating and frustrating production • the EIDC does not know our area as well as nor offer the same level of customer service as the SCVFO, this confuses and frustrates production companies. Just like the EIDC streamlined the permit process for downtown Los Angeles, we think the SCVFO could streamline the permit process for the Santa Clarita Valley and thereby increase filming. It make sense that if the SCVFO concentrated on customer service and streamlining for the Santa Clarita Valley, then the EIDC could better concentrate on streamlining and customer service for the Los Angeles area. This would make both offices more efficient and film -friendly. We'd like to see the County of Los Angeles work with the City of Santa Clarita to look at the possibilities of having the SCVFO issue permits for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. We would be willing to participate in this discussion however you see fit. Please consider our recommendations and explore the opportunities with the City of Santa Clarita to increase filming in the Santa Clarita Valley. Sincerely, Nl4ichael C._ 4DcLorenz President;-5 nta Clarita Studios J % • Rene Veluzat K < 1.Owner, Blue Cloud Ranch Y_�Phil HoCCrlings Owner, SCV Locations Owner, General Store cc: Mayor Bob Kellar, City of Santa Clarita Councilmember Cameron Smyth, City of Santa Clarita Councilmember Frank Ferry, City of Santa Clarita Councilmember Laurene Weste, City of Santa Clarita Councilmember Marsha McLean, City of Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Pulskamp, City of Santa Clarita Film Commissioner Jason Crawford, City of Santa Clarita id