Santa Monica wants you.
As runaway production continues to vex Hollywood, the beachside SoCal city has created a new agency focused on promoting it as a site for film and television production. Launching on Labor Day, Film Santa Monica will handle all film permitting, support and marketing services and oversee the coordination of film permits and communication with production teams and residents.
As the city’s official film agency, Film Santa Monica is poised to deliver a streamlined permitting process for production teams with personalized guidance through each step, the city said. In addition to issuing permits and coordinating productions, the new agency also will market the city as a premier filming destination for television, full-length features, commercial shoots and more.
“Santa Monica has always been an ideal backdrop for filming of all kinds, and there are so many iconic shots of our city in beloved movies and TV shows,” Mayor Lana Negrete said. “This strategic effort to leverage that as a revenue source aligns perfectly with our goal of increasing Economic Opportunity & Growth in our city.”
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The seaside city has been featured in a number of big-time productions. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling bickered outside Santa Monica City Hall in Barbie, Robert Downey Jr. soared above the Santa Monica Pier in Iron Man, and Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves thrilled audiences on one of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Buses in Speed. And don’t forget to the cast of Baywatch running along Santa Monica Beach.
Said Evan Edwards, COO of Film Santa Monica: “The creation of Film Santa Monica presents a distinct opportunity to localize management of productions taking place in our beloved beach city, as well as effectively market Santa Monica’s many versatile and vivid locations to entertainment industry professionals. … Our expertise in selling the destination, deep connections with the community and wealth of knowledge about the best venues and hidden gems will equip us to lead Santa Monica’s filming efforts with both logistical efficacy and invaluable insight.
The City Council approved a three-year contract with Film Santa Monica on July 29. You can read it here.