FilmL.A. in partnership with the office of Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, recently hosted a West Valley Familiarization Tour for locations professionals.
The purpose of the tour was to familiarize location professionals with filming locations in the western San Fernando Valley to promote more production activity in the area. The West Valley area encompasses the cities of Reseda, Canoga Park, Winnetka, Tarzana and Woodland Hills.
The tour was attended by a number of locations professionals, FilmL.A.’s Director of Production Planning Jodi Strong, Community Outreach Liaisons Guy Langman and Arturo Pina, and Danielle Walker, Communications Coordinator. David Owens, Chief of Staff for Councilmember Blumenfield, conceived and helped lead the event.
After a light breakfast, Councilmember Blumenfield addressed the group. In his address, he expressed his excitement for the opportunity to show off the West Valley. “We are very proud of L.A.’s the vast film industry, we’d just like to see more filming here in the West Valley,” Blumenfield said.
“We’re happy to see a council district express an interest in having more filming within its borders,” said FilmL.A.’s Guy Langman. “The Valley already has a rich filming history, we’re interested in helping the industry grow. With the support of the Council Office we can make it happen.”
A motorcoach carried the group to a number of locations including Reseda Park, one of a few parks in the district to feature a pool, tennis courts, a duck pond and free WiFi.
The group also toured abandoned and newly opened Westfield properties and took a first-look at the newly expanded Remmet Studios with includes a brand new soundstage and areas marked for new green rooms.
Rounding out the tour were visits to the Topanga Police Station and Lanark Park. A modern building that is been in a few film projects, the Topanga Police Station’s exterior takes you from southern California to Arizona or New Mexico. Lanark Park’s towering trees compete with its newly remodeled skate park.
Locations teams asked questions and sought insight from District staff as well as the FilmL.A. team.
At the tour’s end, Jodi Strong thanked the group for taking the time to attend the tour. “We really appreciate all of you for coming out, look forward to more tours like this in the future,” Strong said.
Be on the look out for more location tours in the future.
2 Comments on “Councilmember Blumenfield & FilmL.A. Offer West Valley Tour for Location Professionals”
Hi everybody at FilmLA,
It’s so great that business is coming back to our city and I love seeing the crews even out where I live in the west San Fernando Valley. Our homeowners website is up in arms tonight about the delays caused by a shoot on Valley Circle and Bell Canyon Road today. I think it would be great if your office could notify our association office if this comes up again. The association could then inform Bell Canyon residents by our community email so the impatient people can plan for a brief delay. Bell Canyon is in Ventura County which I know is outside your area, but if you could give our neighborhood a heads-up as a courtesy, it would make a lot of people happy. If this is possible, please let me know and I will forward our association contact phone and email.
Thank you!
Thanks Maria. We appreciate the input. Our Community Relations department will take note.