California Film Commission

{{Short description|California agency for media production}}

{{Infobox government agency

|agency_name = California Film Commission

|nativename =

|nativename_a =

|nativename_r =

|logo =

|logo_width =

|logo_caption =

|seal =

|seal_width =

|seal_caption =

|formed = 1985

|date1 =

|date1_name =

|date2 =

|date2_name =

|preceding1 =

|preceding2 =

|dissolved =

|superseding =

|jurisdiction =

|headquarters = 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 900, Hollywood, California 90028

|employees =

|budget =

|chief1_name = Colleen Bell

|chief1_position = Director

|chief2_name = Thomas Davis

|chief2_position = Board Chairman

|parent_agency = Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development - (GO-Biz)

|child1_agency =

|child2_agency =

|website = http://www.film.ca.gov/

|footnotes =

}}

The California Film Commission (CFC) was founded in 1985 by then California Governor George Deukmejian{{cite book|last=Hozic|first=Aida A.|title=Hollyworld : space, power, and fantasy in the American economy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1vuQfUeddIcC&pg=PA117|accessdate=14 January 2011|year=2001|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=978-0-8014-3926-1|pages=117–}} to act in an economic development capacity for the state. It is a part of the California Trade and Commerce Agency,{{cite web|url=http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/96/11/|title=State Government Economic Development Programs|last=Koehler|first=Gus|author2=Hogan, Costolino|work=California Research Bureau, California State Library|publisher=November 26, 1996|accessdate=14 January 2011|archive-date=19 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319153240/http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/96/11/|url-status=dead}} formerly the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency. Its purpose is to enhance California's position as the location of choice for motion picture, television and commercial production.

The board is made up of 26 members, appointed by the governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly, as well as ex officio membership.{{cite web|url=http://law.justia.com/california/codes/2009/gov/14998-14998.13.html|title=2009 California Government Code - Section 14998-14998.13 :: Chapter 1. California Film Commission|year=2009|work=justia.com|accessdate=14 January 2011}} The commission has two programs: Film California First and Star Program. The former, founded in 2000 by then Governor Gray Davis,{{cite book|last1=Mosco|first1=Vincent|last2=Schiller|first2=Dan|title=Continental order?: integrating North America for cybercapitalism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nxay5BZnNDIC&pg=PA225|accessdate=14 January 2011|year=2001|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7425-0954-2|pages=225–}} refunds location costs to filmmakers for certain locations and expenses. The later offers certain state owned properties for free to filmmakers.{{cite book|last1=Jolliffe|first1=Genevieve|last2=Jones|first2=Chris|title=The guerilla film makers handbook|url=https://archive.org/details/guerillafilmmake00joll|url-access=registration|accessdate=14 January 2011|date=27 April 2004|publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8264-1464-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/guerillafilmmake00joll/page/81 81]–}} There are over 50 local film commissions known as FLICS (Film Locations in California, Statewide) associated with CFC that provide local support for filmmakers and facilitate with the permit process.{{cite web |url=http://dist30.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={CF343759-3028-4FAA-A8D2-3B8FF1B2B966} |title=State Senator Ron Calderon is a newly installed Commissioner |year=2007 |work=casen.govoffice.com |accessdate=14 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821042203/http://dist30.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BCF343759-3028-4FAA-A8D2-3B8FF1B2B966%7D |archivedate=21 August 2010 }}

The current director of the California Film Commission is Colleen Bell.{{cite web|url=http://www.film.ca.gov/AboutUs_Members.htm|title=Members of the Board|work=film.ca.gov|accessdate=14 January 2011}} Previous directors included Amy Lemisch, Lisa Rawlins,{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-28-ga-5099-story.html|title=Pasadena Movie Filming Discussion|date=October 28, 1990|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=14 January 2011}} and Karen Constine.{{cite web|url=http://www.film.ca.gov/AboutUs_Press_103001.htm|title=The Scorpion King Receives "Rock" Solid Help From Film California First Program|date=October 30, 2001|work=film.ca.gov|accessdate=14 January 2011}}

The California Film Commission administers the Film & Television Tax Credit Program which provides tax credits based on qualified expenditures for eligible productions that are produced in California. 3.0 is the most recent iteration of the tax credit program. {{Cite web|url=http://film.ca.gov/tax-credit/the-basics-2-0/|title=The Basics 2.0 {{!}} California Film Commission|website=film.ca.gov|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-26}}