Written by new-contact on Sep 27, 2013. Posted in Incentive News

New Los Angeles film czar to focus on boosting California filming incentives

A so-called ‘film czar’ has been appointed by Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles. Tom Sherak has the challenging role of boosting the production industry in the city and also throughout California, and a key element of his job will be campaigning for improved filming incentives.

Sherak is a former studio executive and also used to be president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He will head the Mayor’s newly-created Entertainment Industry and Production Office in Los Angeles, on an annual nominal salary of just one dollar.

“The entertainment industry has a true champion in Mayor Garcetti and I’m honoured to work with him to make sure LA is always the entertainment capital of the world,” said Sherak: “I look forward to helping Mayor Garcetti stop runaway production, increase state production credits and cut City Hall red tape.”

“Tom will lead our campaign for production incentives in Sacramento and is empowered to work across city departments to make LA the best possible location for production,” added Mayor Garcetti.

The entertainment industry has a true champion in Mayor Garcetti and I’m honoured to work with him to make sure LA is always the entertainment capital of the world.

Tom Sherak, Mayor’s Entertainment Industry and Production Office

Los Angeles has a long-term runaway production problem, with movies largely shooting on location elsewhere in the US where state filming incentives are more generous. California’s filming incentive programme offers USD100 million a year – less than 25% of what’s available in New York – and does not support productions with budgets over USD75 million.

Sherak will lead the campaign for changes that will help bring feature production back to the west coast and will be aiming to re-establish California as America’s movie hub.