The board of the Southern California chapter of ITS has unanimously elec
ted Leon Silverman to a two-year term as president. Silverman, exec. VP of Laser-Pacific Media, Hollywood, succeeds Fred Rheinstein, owner of The Post Group, Hollywood and West Los Angeles. Rheinstein remains on the ITS national board as vice chairman and on the Southern California chapter board as immediate past president and a member of the executive committee.
ITS president Terry Rainey stated, This transition from Fred to Leon, two leaders in our industry, illustrates the committed, capable nature of ITS members in the Southern California chapter. Fred did a tremendous job in reviving the chapter, mobilizing it to a victory with the tax relief legislation. Leon will continue this leadership, focusing on bottom-line issues confronting our entire industry.
Raineys tax relief reference was to the reform that took effect at the beginning of the year. As earlier reported (SHOOT, 11/27/98 and 1/29/99, p. 1), the chapter was instrumental in lobbying for and bringing about a partial sales and use tax exemption on new equipment purchases made by independent post and visual effects houses in California.
Silvermans track record in the Southern California post community spans 20 years. He played a key role in the establishment of Laser-Pacifics Electronic Laboratory that pioneered many of the tools and techniques now standard for the electronic postproduction of film. In 89, he was recognized for his many contributions to the creation of the Electronic Laboratory when Laser-Pacific received an Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in engineering development.
He was also recognized in 87 for his contributions to the development of Laser-Pacifics SuperComputer Assembly Process which was again honored with an Emmy for outstanding engineering development. Silverman spearheaded Laser-Pacifics entry into MPEG digital compression in 92 and is currently helping to build and expand Laser-Pacifics digital visual effects division, its DVD authoring and encoding facility and the companys new High Definition Laboratory.
Leon Silverman is a founding member of the Technology Council of the Motion Picture and Television Industry where he serves as its exec. VP. He has served as an instructor at UCLA Extension where he taught postproduction for film and television, and has also served as an associate adjunct professor at the USC School of Cinema and Television.
