Latest news with #AdrinNazarian
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FilmLA 5-Year Contract Approved Amid Worker Complaints
The Los Angeles Board of Public Works approved a new five-year contract with FilmLA on Friday, despite calls from industry groups for changes to the city's film permitting system. The Los Angeles Board of Public Works voted 4-0 to extend FilmLA's contract through June 2030, just days before the current deal was set to expire. Adrin Nazarian, who represents a district that includes North Hollywood, where many IATSE West Coast locals are headquartered, previously spoke about the rapid decline in Los Angeles production as studios have moved shoots to other states and countries amidst pressure to reduce production spending and make their streaming services profitable. 'We've been regressing and losing so much ground,' he stated. 'Now we're losing commercials and platforms and miniseries. We can't have this happen.' While a handful of high-profile productions have moved to California, including NBC's 'Suits L.A.' and the second season of Prime Video's popular 'Fallout,' TV production in Los Angeles has fallen 58% from its all-time high in 2021, according to the latest quarterly report from FilmLA. In response to this, Hollywood unions and studios, who two years ago were in conflict amid an industry-paralyzing double strike, have joined forces to lobby local and state officials to make changes that would allow California to become a more competitive production hub. In Sacramento, a pair of bills that would expand the types of productions eligible for the California Film and Television Tax Credit have been slowly advancing through various committees. The bills have the support of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last fall called for the program's cap to be raised from $330 million to $750 million. Among the fees required of L.A. shoots that are reduced or nonexistent in other cities include county and city fees for fire review and notification, hourly fees for public safety and fire workers and additional fees for shoots that take place on roads, including for permit applications, road inspections and closures. The post FilmLA 5-Year Contract Approved Amid Worker Complaints appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposal to help LA film production approved by city council
LOS ANGELES - In a unanimous decision, the Los Angeles City Council approved a proposal to reduce fees and streamline processes to support filmmakers in the city. 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.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
LA City Council Passes Motion to Begin Filming Permit Reform
The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on various city departments to research ways to reduce the costs of on-location shooting, adding to the statewide efforts to revive declining production rates in California. The motion was introduced by recently elected councilmember Adrin Nazarian, who represents a district that includes North Hollywood, where many IATSE West Coast locals are headquartered. The methods the motion asks city departments to research include reducing or eliminating fees, particularly for shoots on public property and ways to streamline the process for permits. The motion calls for the relevant departments to report back to the council in 30 days with proposed changes. Along with Nazarian, councilmembers across the political spectrum spoke out in support of the motion, from members of the council's progressive bloc like Echo Park CM Hugo Soto-Martínez to more right-leaning members like Westside CM Traci Park, whose council district includes the wildfire-ravaged Pacific Palisades. In a speech during the city council meeting on Tuesday, Nazarian spoke about the rapid decline in Los Angeles production as studios have moved shoots to other states and countries amidst pressure to reduce production spending and make their streaming services profitable. 'We've been regressing and losing so much ground,' he stated. 'Now we're losing commercials and platforms and miniseries. We can't have this happen.' While a handful of high-profile productions have moved to California, including NBC's 'Suits L.A.' and the second season of Prime Video's popular 'Fallout,' TV production in Los Angeles has fallen 58% from its all-time high in 2021, according to the latest quarterly report from FilmLA. In response to this, Hollywood unions and studios, who two years ago were in conflict amid an industry-paralyzing double strike, have joined forces to lobby local and state officials to make changes that would allow California to become a more competitive production hub. In Sacramento, a pair of bills that would expand the types of productions eligible for the California Film and Television Tax Credit have been slowly advancing through various committees. The bills have the support of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last fall called for the program's cap to be raised from $330 million to $750 million. Such changes will be part of what is expected to be a contentious budget debate facing state legislators next month, as California faces uncertainty over its budget due to the Trump Administration's tariffs against China and ongoing threats to pull federal funding. As those bills continue through the legislative process, grassroots groups like Stay in LA have made permitting costs another part of their campaign. The organization has passed out flyers at industry events comparing the fees required for Los Angeles shoots to those of other U.S. cities like New York, Chicago and Atlanta. Among the fees required of L.A. shoots that are reduced or nonexistent in other cities include county and city fees for fire review and notification, hourly fees for public safety and fire workers and additional fees for shoots that take place on roads, including for permit applications, road inspections and closures. The post LA City Council Passes Motion to Begin Filming Permit Reform appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amid Local Production Crisis, L.A. City Council Passes Measure to Spur Reform of Film Permitting Process
As the flight of entertainment production work from California accelerates, Los Angeles' film permitting process has come under fire from local advocates as overly onerous and expensive, adding to the cocktail of reasons why productions might leave the state for their shoots. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a measure that aims to change that. The motion, introduced by Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, calls for various city departments to research new fee structures, potential discounts or fee waivers for public property shoots, different ways to use public safety officers, streamlined film permitting and stage certification procedures and solutions to alleged price-gouging for crew parking and base camp locations. More from The Hollywood Reporter The Industry Exodus Isn't Just Bad for L.A. - It's Hurting the Environment, Too 'Wolf Hall' Director: Why a U.K. Streaming Levy Isn't a Tariff (Guest Column) Ben Affleck: California Took Its Film and TV Industry "For Granted" It calls for the city's chief legislative analyst and departments including L.A.'s film office, FilmLA, to report back in 30 days with their findings. 'We must do our part at the local level to keep production in Los Angeles,' Nazarian wrote in his motion. Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez, Nithya Raman, Traci Park, Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla spoke out in support of the measure at Tuesday's City Council meeting. Park, who said one in five people in her district works in the entertainment industry, called the motion 'incredibly urgent.' She added, 'I couldn't be more concerned about the mass jobs that we are losing out of the city of Los Angeles.' As the motion passed the Council on Tuesday, applause broke out in City Hall from attendees who came to support the bill. A number of industry workers spoke up about the challenges that productions face in the city during the public comment period at Tuesday's meeting. 'We need to re-address what we're doing. I think this is a great, major step forward,' Directors Guild of America member Greg Zekowski said. Added the president of IATSE Local 728, Martin Weeks, 'Any headwinds for production is causing production to leave Los Angeles and it's causing our members to lose their jobs and have a lack of work, so I urge the council to vote in support.' During a brief speech before the vote on Tuesday, Nazarian stated that in the mid-1980s, Los Angeles regularly hosted shoots for major tentpole productions; by 2013 no tentpole films were shooting in California. 'We've been regressing and losing so much ground,' he stated. 'Now we're losing commercials and platforms and miniseries. We can't have this happen.' Policymakers have been racing to address the decline in production work following a series of major disruptions: the COVID-19 pandemic, the dual 2023 strikes in entertainment and the larger contraction in the industry. At the state level, Gov. Gavin Newsom has attempted to tackle the issue of runaway production from California with a proposal to increase the cap on the state's film and television tax credit program to $750 million from $330 million. Various state senators and State Assembly representatives, meanwhile, have backed two bills that aim to expand the kinds of projects that are eligible and to raise the state's subsidy for productions to 35 percent. In 2024, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass created an advisory group of industry leaders and issued an executive directive that called for city departments to meet quarterly with industry stakeholders and review and make recommendations for reforming their processes for permitting. Nazarian's contention is that the city needs to do more on its end to help its industry workforce and preserve an iconic L.A. business. 'Sacramento's got to do what it's got to do, but we can do what we can do here to make sure that we're protecting the very industry that put Los Angeles on the map,' he said at Tuesday's meeting. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
L.A. City Council backs huge trash fee hikes for residents
The Los Angeles City Council moved Friday to dramatically increase trash fees in a bid to raise money and close a billion-dollar budget deficit. On a 10-1 vote, the council ordered city attorneys to draft an ordinance raising the fees on roughly 740,000 customers, with council members arguing that the city has subsidized the cost of trash pickup for too many years. Owners of single-family homes and duplexes will see their trash fees more than double in the coming budget year, reaching $55.95, up from $36.32. Fees for smaller apartment buildings — those with three or four units — will be increased to $55.95, up from $24.33, with each unit paying the full fee. The trash fees will rise each year through 2029, hitting $65.93 for all categories. For single-family homes and duplexes, that would represent an 81% increase over this year. For buildings with three or four units, the fee for each unit would nearly triple. On residents' bimonthly bills from the Department of Water and Power, the increases will show up under the line item 'Solid Resource Fee.' Read more: Huge trash fee hike looms for L.A. residents Larger apartment buildings would not be covered by the planned trash fee hikes. Residents can seek to overturn the fees. Proposition 218, passed by California voters in 1996, requires that property owners be mailed information about the proposed fees and that a hearing be held at least 45 days after the mailing. The fee fails if a majority of owners send in written protests. Larry Gross, executive director of the Coalition for Economic Survival, said landlords will likely pass the fee increase on to tenants who renew a lease or sign a new lease. He expressed concern about the regressive nature of the fee, which will disproportionately hurt low-income residents, since they will pay the same amount as wealthier residents. Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, who represents the eastern San Fernando Valley, expressed a similar concern at Friday's City Council meeting as he cast the lone "no" vote. He pointed out the dramatic increase that residents of a four-unit building will see in the first year. "That unit is going to pay as much as a home in the wealthiest parts of the city," he said. Councilmembers John Lee, Traci Park, Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla were absent from Friday's vote. City leaders said that a program to help low-income residents afford the fees will be expanded, also pointing out that the last trash fee increase was 17 years ago. Without the fee hike, the general fund would lose about $200 million in the next budget year, since the city has been partly subsidizing trash pickup, according to city officials. The fee increase is planned as the city faces a nearly $1-billion budget shortfall and the potential elimination of thousands of city jobs. Mayor Karen Bass is scheduled to release her proposed budget, and her plan for closing the financial gap, later this month. Part of the shortfall is due to labor costs and recent pay increases for some workers, including for police officers and firefighters, that were approved by Bass and the council. Read more: L.A. city budget shortfall grows to nearly $1 billion, with layoffs 'nearly inevitable' The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. on Friday blasted the trash fee hike and accused Bass and the City Council of mismanagement through overspending, "unaffordable" labor contracts and "policies that have driven businesses out of the city, resulting in lower business tax and sales tax revenue." 'The mayor and City Council may want taxpayers to bail out Los Angeles, but it's more likely that taxpayers will bail out of Los Angeles,' the association said. Several Bureau of Sanitation employees spoke in support of the fee at Friday's City Council meeting. Charles Leone, a coordinator with Service Employees International Union 721, which represents sanitation workers, told the council that the fee should have gone up "decades ago" and described the hard work that goes into picking up the trash. "They took on the homeless crisis — head on, they take out the trash every single day, they lift up the mattresses every single day, they address the couches every single day, the list goes on and on," he said. The council last year raised sewer fees for all property owners. Landlords who own units that are rent-stabilized — the vast majority of units in the city — typically can't pass on water costs, which are linked to sewer costs, to their tenants, according to city officials. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
