The Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) has commended and congratulated Governor Jerry Brown on his signing of AB 1941; legislation that, among other things, provides a consistent voice for independent commercial producers on the California Film Commission. The AICP worked closely with Assemblymember Patty Lopez (D-San Fernando) and her staff to amend the original bill to include a designated seat appointed by the Governor for a two- year term. The original bill proposed designating a seat for independent filmmakers on the Commission, a provision that remains in the signed legislation.
“Independent commercial producers and filmmakers possess a unique set of skills, talents and professional experiences,” noted Lopez. ”They are extremely resourceful artists who clearly have a lot to bring to the table. Furthermore, their productions are a valuable source of economic growth and job opportunities for the residents of California. The signing of AB 1941 into law will undoubtedly benefit countless workers as well as the commercial and film industries as a whole.”
More than 30 years ago, the state legislature established the California Film Commission to encourage and retain on-location filming in California. Commercial producers, along with film and television, represent the three main sources of on-location film production in California.
The new bill reverses a lack of representation of members from the commercial production industry in the last decade; only one individual from the industry has served on the Commission during this period. Of all commercial projects produced domestically, roughly half are shot in the Golden State. This legislation improves the Commission’s ability to attract and retain on-location commercial shoots in state.
“As our industry continues to evolve, independent commercial producers face a rapidly changing and competitive environment,” noted David Phelps, director of external relations, AICP. “AB 1941 sends a strong message that California welcomes commercial shoots, the jobs they create and the $2 billion in direct production expenditures our members invested last year in-state. We are thankful to Assemblymember Lopez for hearing our concerns, and for her leadership in sheparding this bill to passage.”
Commercial producers depend on available and accessible locations, such as state parks and highways, to film content. For every four commercial shoot days, three are produced on location; the highest ratio in the film industry. According to the California Film Commission, almost a quarter of all film permits for shooting on state lands are issued for commercials. Specifically, 23.7% of all film permits in 2015 were for commercials; 22% in 2014.
Several industry stakeholders have pre-designated seats on the Commission, including representatives of motion picture studios, as well as labor organizations.
After 20 Years of Acting, Megan Park Finds Her Groove In The Director’s Chair On “My Old Ass”
Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs.
She didn't set out to make a tearjerker with "My Old Ass," now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young woman in conversation with her older self. The film is quite funny (the dialogue between 18-year-old and almost 40-year-old Elliott happens because of a mushroom trip that includes a Justin Bieber cover), but it packs an emotional punch, too.
Writing, Park said, is often her way of working through things. When she put pen to paper on "My Old Ass," she was a new mom and staying in her childhood bedroom during the pandemic. One night, she and her whole nuclear family slept under the same roof. She didn't know it then, but it would be the last time, and she started wondering what it would be like to have known that.
In the film, older Elliott ( Aubrey Plaza ) advises younger Elliott ( Maisy Stella ) to not be so eager to leave her provincial town, her younger brothers and her parents and to slow down and appreciate things as they are. She also tells her to stay away from a guy named Chad who she meets the next day and discovers that, unfortunately, he's quite cute.
At 38, Park is just getting started as a filmmaker. Her first, "The Fallout," in which Jenna Ortega plays a teen in the aftermath of a school shooting, had one of those pandemic releases that didn't even feel real. But it did get the attention of Margot Robbie 's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, who reached out to Park to see what other ideas she had brewing.
"They were very instrumental in encouraging me to go with it," Park said. "They're just really even-keeled, good people, which makes... Read More