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San Diego –
County officials hope to attract filmmakers to the area through an office that would streamline film production permits and other services.
The board unanimously voted Tuesday to set up a regional film office with the city of San Diego, the Port of San Diego and other local jurisdictions.
San Diego previously had a regional film bureau that operated through the Tourism Board for 30 years but was disbanded in 2013, the board of directors said in the letter. Since then, the region has missed economic opportunities, officials said.
“Here in California, the film and television industry is booming due to the current tax breaks, but we hardly benefit in San Diego,” said the board letter.
Some of the films previously made in the county include Citizen Kane, Some Like it Hot, Top Gun, Traffic, Freaky Friday, Fast Famous, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, and Anchorman.
Attracting movie businesses to the county could generate $ 250,000 to $ 300,000 per day in local spending for hotels, catering companies, transportation companies and local movie workers, the board said the letter.
Once up and running, the office would become an independent not-for-profit that coordinates with local governments and receives sponsorship from the film industry, corporations, local businesses and grants. The board action authorized the county to spend $ 200,000 to help set up the office.
“We as a region have the opportunity to provide seed capital for something that can be self-sustaining,” said Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Nathan Fletcher.
Although some speakers voiced concerns about public funding for the project, others said that regional film offices do not do productions, but instead act as a link between local filmmakers and studios.
Jeff Deverett, an independent filmmaker and professor at the San Diego State University School of Theater, Television and Film, said that San Diego film students and professionals usually have to move or commute to work elsewhere to get jobs. He said San Diego’s favorable weather and wide variety of landscapes make it a desirable location for filming.
“We’re trying to create economic development and, above all, jobs for the thousands of independent filmmakers who live here in San Diego,” said Deverett. “It will help the city grow and create many, many job opportunities in this industry that are very well-paying jobs.”
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