City Council

(10) 25-1509-S1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS COMMITTEE REPORT relative to instructing relevant Departments, with assistance from FilmLA, involved in the film permitting process, to report on a unified Citywide Filming Conditions Framework; and related matters. Recommendations for Council action, as initiated by Motion (Nazarian - Harris-Dawson): 1. INSTRUCT the the Board of Public Works (BPW), with the assistance of, Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Department of Transportation (DOT), Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), Board of Public Works (BPW) Bureau of Street Services (BSS), with assistance from FilmLA, and any other relevant departments involved in the film permitting process, to report to Council within 90 days on a unified Citywide Filming Conditions Framework. This report shall include recommendations for: a. Standardizing Notification, Survey, and Monitoring Requirements i. Eliminating Signature Surveys except for simulated gunfire, pyrotechnics, or amplified sound between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. ii. No signature requirements for base camps, crew parking, or catering. iii. Exempting the Downtown area from "residential" surveys based on land-use patterns. iv. RAP, DOT, LAPD, and FilmLA shall align on clear, published criteria for when monitors, Motion Picture Officers (MPO), Fire Safety Officers (FSO), or traffic officers may be required. v. Create a unified, transparent appeals and override process administered by the BPW Film Liaison. b. Standardizing Departmental Operational Procedures i. Require one working day response standards for all filming inquiries across departments. ii. Remove detailed parking overhead map requirements from standard permit applications. iii. Extend DOT posting deadline to 5:00 PM that are 24 hours before production. iv. Mandate that departments maintain at least 80% full-time staff assigned to filming to support timely review and issue resolution. v. Create a centralized, real-time calendar of upcoming city events, including their date, time, and location, for production companies to reference when scouting and selecting filming sites. c. Ensuring Fair and Predictable Access to City Facilities i. RAP shall publish a citywide Filming Conditions Matrix clarifying when park monitors are required. ii. RAP shall limit monitors to activities involving amplified sound, full closures, pyrotechnics, drones, or special effects. iii. RAP shall evaluate and return with recommendations to fully waive or reduce standard filming fees (e.g., to $1) for productions that do not require exclusive park use or additional City staffing. d. Clarifying that Private-Property Filming Does Not Trigger City Fees i. No City fees shall be required solely because filming occurs on private property when: 1. No public right-of-way is used. 2. No City services are requested. 3. The property is not in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone during Red Flag Days. 4. The production does not require public-safety personnel. e. Ongoing Review and Transparency i. Require annual Council review of all Citywide filming policies and conditions. ii. Establish a public portal for productions to report new or burdensome conditions that may require Council review. iii. Require FilmLA to participate in coordinated community and industry outreach to explain the new standardized framework. 2. RESCIND all existing Neighborhood Special Filming Conditions established or instituted through legacy practice, and REQUEST the City Attorney to PREPARE and PRESENT any necessary Ordinances to repeal such conditions established by prior Ordinance, unless specifically reauthorized by Council. 3. INSTRUCT the Board of Public Works, with assistance from the CAO and CLA, to designate or establish a City Film Liaison position within the Board of Public Works to: a. Coordinate interdepartmental filming issues. b. Administer appeals. c. Oversee development of the Citywide Filming Handbook. 4. INSTRUCT the Board of Public Works Film Liaison and FilmLA to publish the unified Citywide Filming Conditions Framework as a Citywide Filming Handbook, maintained by the Board of Public Works Film Liaison and FilmLA, consolidating all filming rules—including standard conditions, departmental requirements, and micro-shoot definitions, notification standards, appeals processes, and contact information—and updated at least annually. 5. INSTRUCT FilmLA and the Board of Public Works Film Liaison to conduct a coordinated outreach campaign to neighborhood councils, business groups, industry stakeholders, and location managers to explain the elimination of Special Filming Conditions, the micro-shoot rules, and the updated Citywide Filming Conditions Framework. Fiscal Impact Statement: Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.