Remaking Movie Making: The Environmental Impacts of the Film Industry in Southern California

The film and television industry is integral to the economics and culture of the Southern California region. It is also a major contributing factor to the environmental problems in the region. Currently the Motion Picture, Television, and Commercial Industries Act of 1984 is the only regulation written specifically for the entertainment industry. This regulation was created with the purpose of streamlining the film permitting process to prevent run-away production, taking production out of state, and encourage growth. A change in this regulation is needed since studios routinely fail to meet environmental standards or work towards improvement during on-location filming. Amendments to this regulation requiring permits to contain environmental conditions would improve environmental conditions and stay true to the original purpose of the act.