At press time, a California budget committee comprised of lawmakers from the State Assembly and Senate had approved the Film California First Program for inclusion in the 2000-’01 fiscal year budget. The program would allocate $15 million each of the next three years "to reimburse state and local government agencies for the costs they incur for television and film productions in their jurisdictions." If the final California budget is passed with this provision, it would translate into feature, TV, commercial and music video producers realizing certain savings, including reimbursement of state and federal employee costs related to filming, and local public costs for fire services and non-police public safety. The program is part of a California anti-runaway production package proposed by Gov. Gray Davis (D-Calif.)….Bicoastal production house Anonymous has signed director David Denneen, formerly of bicoastal/international Cylo, and helmer John Dolan, a new talent signed on the strength of a spec reel…Director Marc Chiat has exited Santa Monica-based Green Dot Films, and is again helming spots via his own Red Dog Films, Culver City, Calif. When joining Green Dot a couple of years ago, Chiat had pulled Red Dog out of the commercialmaking business, maintaining that shop for his other projects. Now, however, he’s decided to again have Red Dog bark up the spot tree….Hollywood-based DNA has signed director Yuki, an honoree earlier this month in the student category of the AICP Show at MoMA, for exclusive spot and music video representation….
