In efforts to bolster film production in Los Angeles, city leaders announced filming fee cuts at Griffith Observatory, owned by the city, and the reopening of the LA Central Library to film production.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced fees to film at the Griffith Observatory will be slashed by 70%, and after more than a decade, the Los Angeles Central Library is to be reopened to film production.

“The Griffith Observatory and the Central Library are iconic backdrops in cinematic history. Just think about it, ‘Rebel Without a Cause,’ ‘La-La Land,’ ‘Ghostbusters,’  ‘The West Wing,’ and even ‘The Terminator,’ ” Bass said.

Joely Fisher, SAG-AFTRA member and Los Angeles Local president, applauded the cuts, saying it will lead to paychecks.  

“When you hear that Mayor Bass has cut filming fees for Griffith Observatory by 70%, from $100,000 to $30,000, that’s not just a line item in the budget; that’s access. That’s jobs, that’s opportunity,” Fisher said.

Bass said the developments are part of her executive directive launched last year, aimed at bolstering LA’s entertainment industry.

Other aspects of the directive include: the Port of Los Angeles cutting review time for filming applications to less than one week; the LA Department of Transportation extending hours for productions; and the Los Angeles Police Department involvement to identify activity and locations where the assignment of personnel can either be waived or decreased.