San Diego Media Pros Meet at REV Studio to Elevate Local Production with Education and #MadeInSanDiego Theme
The San Diego Media Pros, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of media professionals, recently gathered at REV Studio in La Jolla for a crucial meeting that brought together 20 professionals from various aspects of the industry. The event served as a platform to discuss strategies to boost local production and launch its #MadeInSanDiego campaign theme for 2024.
Guy Langman, the City of San Diego Filming Program Manager, shared insights and plans to encourage location managers to consider the San Diego area as a viable filming alternative to Los Angeles.
Filming Opportunities for San Diego:
Langman emphasized the need for location managers to explore the diverse landscapes of San Diego for potential filming locations. The city aims to position itself as a friendly, hands-on, and cost-effective option for production crews. San Diego offers a unique advantage by allowing face time with park rangers and coordinated support from both city and county during location scouts. San Diego offers a myriad of different landscapes and backdrops, including beaches, mountains, deserts, historic buildings, and studios.
San Diego TV Production Outlook:
Langman highlighted the recent slowdown in TV production in Los Angeles due to a post-strike lull as creating an opportune moment for San Diego to attract more projects. While the long-term goal is to secure TV shows, the primary focus is on commercials, reality shows, and still photo shoots. San Diego is positioning itself as an ideal destination for such productions, leveraging its low-cost appeal and hands-on approach to film production.
Commercial Production is a Key Target:
The emphasis on commercial production stems from the flexibility it offers in terms of crew composition. Commercials, often nonunion projects, present an opportunity to engage local talent and stimulate the local economy. The goal for 2024 is to create an uptick in commercials being produced in San Diego, leading to more local hires and opportunities for media professionals in the region.
Developing a Local Crew List:
To facilitate easier collaboration and promote local talent, discussions revolved around developing a comprehensive crew list. The City of San Diego and the county are exploring partnerships with organizations like the San Diego Media Pros to create a centralized resource for production crews. The proposed crew list would connect producers with skilled professionals in various roles, ranging from sound engineers to camerapersons and scouting experts.
As San Diego positions itself as a welcoming and cost-effective hub for media production, the future looks promising for REV Studio, the #MadeInSanDiego campaign, and the talented professionals driving it forward. REV Studio is proud to have served as the think tank for this initial discussion.
