Bishop - Film shoots detonate cash explosion in Inyo

Inyo County Film Commissioner Chris Langley shows off a bomb prop, part of a new display for the Lone Pine Film History Museum that was donated from the set of the action film “Iron Man.” Photo by Mike Gervais

It’s an odd day when someone brings a bomb into the Inyo County Board of Supervisors chambers. And more unusual still when the supervisors themselves are happy to see both the explosive device and its carrier.

But that was the scene on Tuesday when Inyo County Film Commiss-ioner Chris Langley gave his mid-year report and showed off a prop he obtained for the Lone Pine Film History Museum from the set of the “Iron Man” production.
In addition to showing off the latest display for the museum, Langley gave the supervisors an update on productions that filmed in Inyo County from July 1, 2007 through February 2008.
And the news was even more welcome than the fake bomb.
“I think, overall, this fiscal year has been good and financially beneficial to the county so far,” Langley said. “We lacked the glamour of a large budget film like ‘Iron Man’ working locally, but overall it was a busy time with many types of companies filming varied products, including both still and motion work.”
While Inyo County did not have a production the size of “Iron Man” film in the area over the past eight months, Langley told the board that 49 permits were issued for filming within that time, resulting in hundreds of out-of-the-area personnel renting rooms, buying food and otherwise stimulating the economy of Inyo County.

Inyo County Film Commissioner Chris Langley shows the Inyo County Board of Supervisors a huge movie poster that’s also a part of the “Iron Man” exhibit going on display at the Lone Pine Museum of Film History. Photo by Mike Gervais

According to Langley, the shoots, including movies and commercials, brought more than 690 crew members to the area. Those workers rented an estimated 1,716 room nights in Inyo County and the total production benefits resulted in an estimated $4.2 million being left in local coffers.
There are other economic benefits to filming, Langley said, that are harder to estimate.
It is difficult to track the number of Inyo County residents that were hired to work on film sets, Langley explained, because “they are often paid with cash at the end of the day.”
But Langley did advise that a heavy equipment operator was employed by the production of the film “Dark Sky,” which had a second unit working in the Alabama Hills; a few local workers were hired as production assistants for larger commercials and several meals were catered by local restaurants.
And there are more productions on the way.
Langley has been working closely with film scout Lori Bolton, who previously visited Inyo County with scenes in mind for the films “There Will be Blood” and “3:10 to Yuma,” which utlimately did not film here. More recently she has scouted possible local locations for upcoming productions of films like “Land of the Lost” and the latest “Transformers” movie.
“She is now well aware of our resources and will always think of Inyo when she has a project that suits us,” Langley told the board, noting that “Transformers 2” is considering shooting in Inyo County.
Not all of Langley’s contact with scouts results in a local shoot.
Recently, Mastercard scouted the Alabama Hills in hopes of shooting a commercial, but decided against the backdrop of the Sierra and Alabamas “because we wouldn’t let them do what they wanted,” Langley said.
Apparently, the commercial was to feature a bicycle jumping a large boulder in the Alabamas, but local officials were reluctant to allow filming of activities that aren’t condoned in the Hills.
Langley told the board that he has a new campaign, “Don’t Show What You Can’t Do,” that will regulate the content of some filming in the area.
Langley said he is also facing competition for other states and foreign countries.
“Attracting the film industry to film in an area has become very competitive as cities, counties and states, not to mention foreign countries, have come to realize that they represent significant revenue spent locally with modest impact,” he explained.
“I believe that the incentive programs in Canada, Mexico and such states as New Mexico and Louisiana make California less desirable to film companies,” Langley said. “New Mexico programs result in a 17 percent savings to companies” in tax incentives and rebates.
“I intend to keep us competitive with all of these better-financed efforts because we have two great advantages: world-class locations and an established track record back to 1915,” Langley said.
“I believe our permit costs, labor costs and cost of living standards” – not to mention the unparalleled beauty and diversity of the area – “make Inyo County still a very desirable place to film,” Langley said.
The film commissioner also said that the writer’s strike contributed to less filming around the world.
To bring more filming opportunities to Inyo County in the future, Langley said he is working on a marketing campaign that will include an updated and improved inyolocations.org Web site.
“We have decided to begin not with overhauling the structure of the search components of the site, but instead to upload content, pictures, addresses, etc. into the site now,” explained Langley. He said he is working with the original designer and webmaster of the site on that work.
Langley is also speaking with representatives of P3 Locations Magazine regarding advertising and possibly a feature article on the region. He said the magazine has featured similar stories for other areas.
Finally, Langley said he is working with the Locations Scouts Guild, and hopes to begin developing a familiarity tour of the area for scouts.
“Your efforts in finding increased funding for the Inyo County Film Commission have made us ready to meet the challenges and keep filming coming to Inyo County in the future,” Langley told the board.