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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

From Farm Warehouse to Soundstages in AV

On the outskirts of the Antelope Valley in Littlerock sits a former fruit packing plant that has become something else – the only soundstages found in the valley. True, there have been warehouses and even aircraft hangars used in films and television productions, but those were not actual soundstages. Hollywood Cinema Arts Studios provides six stages ranging in size from 5,200 square feet to 27,700 square feet for daily or monthly rental for films, commercials, episodic television and music videos. Jim Motyl, operations manager at the studio and a nearly 40-year veteran of the industry, came aboard more than two years ago at the behest of the owner, Hollywood Cinema Arts, a North Hollywood supplier of framed artwork used in films and TV. The building had originally been used by Scattaglia Farms for packing fruit grown in the area until it closed in 2014. Then Motyl was asked to see if it was suitable for filming. In the month after he looked at it, Motyl said he brought out other industry professionals – camera operators, special effects artists and set decorators. “Everybody gave me the thumbs up,” Motyl said. Despite some advertising, a brochure and contact with the California Film Commission and the Antelope Valley Film Office, there has not been much activity on the stages in the last year. Before that there there were some still photography shoots at the facility and a GM car commercial, Motyl said. It’s not ideal for urban scenes, but if a production needs space, Littlerock has plenty. “If you have a script that wants to build a western town, a Middle Eastern town, a Mexican village – anything like that can be built out there because it is surrounded by 400 acres,” Motyl said. Production Promotion More than 500 entertainment industry professionals gathered on May 20 for the annual Film in California Conference at the CBS Studio Center lot in Studio City. The event was sponsored by the California Film Commission and Film Liaisons in California, Statewide and focused on promoting California productions. In the exhibitors’ area of the conference were Real to Reel Inc. and its Chief Executive Gary Onyshko; Bill Bartels, the film liaison with the Ventura County Film Commission; Pauline East of the Antelope Valley Film Office; Evan Thomason, an economic development associate in the film office of Santa Clarita; and Talatt Captan, chief executive of Air Hollywood in Pacoima, who was displaying AutoPlane, a mockup of a commercial airliner carried on a truck to different sets. Universal Publicity Tracy Cohen was promoted to senior vice president, corporate affairs at NBCUniversal earlier this month. In that position, Cohen is responsible for the West Coast corporate affairs, including managing public affairs, external and internal communications and community investment. She will report to Cindy Gardner, executive vice president of global communications for Universal Filmed Entertainment and Corporate Affairs for NBCUniversal in Universal City. Garder called Cohen an invaluable partner and collaborator who has worked on some of the media and entertainment company’s most important programs. “Tracy is known and respected by all those who work with her as a talented communications strategist, which positions her for continued success in this expanded role,” Gardner said in a prepared statement. Cohen joined NBCUniversal six years ago and prior to her promotion had been vice president of corporate and external affairs. In that role, she worked on getting approval of the multi-billion-dollar Evolution Plan for the Universal Studios campus and developed programs surrounding the successful openings of Universal Studios Hollywood’s new attractions.  Prior to NBCUniversal, Cohen had been with Los Angeles public relations firm Rogers Group and worked for the Los Angeles Mayor’s office and Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Entertainment Scholarships Seniors from high schools in Burbank, Los Angeles and Pasadena were named as this year’s recipients of the Reach Honorship program from Warner Bros. Entertainment. The students receive $5,000 scholarships and the opportunity to complete four paid summer internships at the Burbank studio, starting this summer and lasting through their college years. Additionally, the students are paired with a different executive mentor each summer and have network opportunities with entertainment professionals. The students in the program this year are Xochitl Torres and Jacob Sugars, both graduating from Burbank High School; Xochilt Khoury, a graduate of John Burroughs High School in Burbank; Isabella Cassandra-Newman, graduating from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts; and Xinye (Leaf) Hou, graduating from South Pasadena High School. Staff Reporter Mark R. Madler can be reached at (818) 316-3126 or [email protected].

Mark Madler
Mark Madler
Mark R. Madler covers aviation & aerospace, manufacturing, technology, automotive & transportation, media & entertainment and the Antelope Valley. He joined the company in February 2006. Madler previously worked as a reporter for the Burbank Leader. Before that, he was a reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and several daily newspapers in the suburban Chicago area. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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