California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins Emeritus has appointed San Diego Port Commissioner Bob Nelson to the California Film Commission. Nelson's appointments and accomplishments include but are not limited to:his appointment by President Bill Clinton to the Competitiveness Policy Council, serving on the board of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, chairing the San Diego Convention Center Corporation while founding one the largest independent public relations firms in the nation.
Nelson's appointment is yet another positive step forward to restore the film and television industry in San Diego County. In an interview, Speaker Toni Atkins said, "Our state is known throughout the world for its entertainment industry and Bob Nelson understands of how much these jobs contribute to our economy. Bob is committed to San Diego and is a seasoned advocate for our community and is lucid in his awareness of the importance of keeping film productions in California, along with bringing more television and feature films to our region."
Nelson is well supported by film industry leadership for his understanding of the importance of organized labor within the film and television industries. In a recent interview, IATSE union representative Carlos Cota offered this comment on the appointment.
"I couldn't be happier with the appointment of Bob Nelson to the California Film Commission. I have known Bob for many years and have had the pleasure of working with him.
He is well motivated and driven during his time on the San Diego Convention Center Board and his time with the San Diego Port Commission. He has always been an inspirational leader with great vision for our City. I can't wait to see what he will accomplish as our representative on the State Film Commission."
Tonya Mantooth, the Executive & Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival and local film producer with over twenty-years industry experience I asked her thoughts on how the San Diego film and television industry would benefit.
"Bob Nelson truly understands, not only the complexity of rebuilding the Film Industry in San Diego, but the importance of bringing these jobs back to San Diego. It's an industry with a wide range of skilled jobs which allows for growth of our apprentice programs which will help develop our graduates in both the Film Industries and the confidence within them to start their own film production careers in San Diego rather than relocating to other cities"
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has been actively working with the professional film community, Port of San Diego and County Supervisor Dave Roberts to re-establish the functions of a film commission in the form of the newly created San Diego Film Office. The Film Office is actively working to re-position the San Diego region as a top tier filming destination to attract film and television productions that in turn creates jobs, film tourism and support local business.
Mayor Faulconer released this comment on the appointment of Bob Nelson to the state film commission."We've been working to put a spotlight on San Diego's recent investments to attract and support the film industry, and having more San Diego voices in the conversation is only going to help. I am confident Bob will be tireless in his efforts to keep film and television industry production in California and generate new economic opportunities for San Diego."
**
The collective efforts of the City and its partners, tax credit programs, coupled with the appointment of Commissioner Nelson to the California Film Commission, is a promising start towards placing San Diego back on the filming map. San Diego has the potential to play a larger role in the state's film production economy. The San Diego region has already seen an increase in TV productions filmed here, including TNT's Animal Kingdom, TNT's The Last Ship, Netflix's original series, Ingobernable, and FOX's Pitch, debuting this fall. From its film-friendly environment, a talented pool of crews and support services, low or no-fee permitting and public locations, production facilitation, and advocacy, San Diego is poised to take the silver screen by storm.
As a film professional, with over twenty-years experience in the San Diego region, I am very confident that Commissioner Nelson will do great things for filming in San Diego and the great State of California.
Lights! Camera ! Action!