LOS ANGELES, CA — The City Council is exploring ways to boost film and TV production as the industry gets back to work following the writers and actors strikes.
The council on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion that instructs a range of city departments to collaborate on a report about how the city can expedite and streamline film permits, potentially adjust permit fees and change policies or administrative practices to expedite the recovery of production locally.
The motion was introduced by council President Paul Krekorian.
“The report is due back in 15 days and we intend to act on the recommendations we receive,” Krekorian said in a statement. “The time it takes to get permits approved can be the most significant determinant of producers’ decisions to shoot in Los Angeles or take their productions and their jobs elsewhere. We intend to keep those jobs here in Los Angeles.
Among the departments that are set to issue recommendations are parks, fire, police, general services, economic development and public works.
The 146-day Writers Guild of America strike was the second-longest in Hollywood history. And the largely concurrent SAG-AFTRA strike marked the first time in over six decades that both actors and writers were on strike at the same time.
Canceled or postponed production led to the loss of 17,000 entertainment jobs in August alone, according to Krekorian’s office.
“Small businesses throughout the city depend on the patronage of entertainment workers; when they are out of work, those small businesses too need to lay off workers or cut hours and wages,” Krekorian’s office said. “So swift resumption of motion picture and television production is essential to the health of our economy.”