SCVEDC Blog

New Ownership, new location, and a new way of doing business

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, CA – Avon Rents, a one-stop vehicle rental company serving the greater Los Angeles area for over 40 years, has recently expanded into the Santa Clarita Valley. Avon operates one of the largest independently owned and operated fleet of commercial vehicles in Southern California. While their fleet primarily serves the film industry with production trucks and trailers, Avon also offers a new and improved variety of cargo vans, stake beds and cube trucks for small businesses and individual rentals.

Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features our community has to offer? Engage with different media, maps and data, and really get to know the various aspects of the Santa Clarita Valley that make it such a great place to live, work, and play! We'll be adding new customized tours periodically, so keep an eye on our social media, website, and newsletters for updates.

How well do you know the businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley?

Most residents don’t realize that SCV is home to a broad range of companies across major industry sectors including Aerospace & Defense, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech & Medical Devices, Digital Media & Entertainment, and Information Technology. The Santa Clarita Valley is also one of the few places in LA County that is seeing increasing population growth, with numerous ongoing residential, commercial, and industrial projects.

Over the past several years I have been interviewing many of the leaders of these innovative companies for our podcast series “SCV Means Business”. I am inspired by their commitment and dedication to their employees, as well as our community.

In a smart move to keep California’s signature industry thriving in-state, legislators earlier this month voted to increase both film and television tax incentives by another $330 million. The new bill was signed into law on July 22 by Governor Newsom, and has two primary features. The currently available  $330 million is being bolstered with an additional $180 million, bringing the annual film tax incentive program total to $410 million. The entirely new component now adds $150 million, allocated towards the construction of soundstages in an effort to meet the ever-growing demand for these studio facilities. These changes could prove vital to meet California's film and television needs, stop production jobs from leaving the state, and potentially coax studios to return that had jumped ship for more enticing offers in other states.

Industrial Market in SCV Never Missed a Beat 

While the COVID-19 crisis initially gave many companies pause for good reason, 2020 was an exceptionally good year for industrial real estate across the board, the Santa Clarita Valley included. In 2020, the SCVEDC was pleased to announce that several new companies chose to locate in the Santa Clarita Valley including two Amazon fulfillment centers, DrinkPAK, a beverage manufacturer, and a state-of-the-art medical testing lab. Several SCV companies expanded as well, including P3 Inc., LA North Studios, Lief Labs, 24/7 Events and Mellady Direct Marketing.

LA North Studios to Add Soundstages at The Center at Needham Ranch

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) and Clarion Partners, LLC announced Wednesday that LA North Studios, one of Santa Clarita’s newest and largest soundstage facility and studio operators, has signed a five-year lease to take over 113,640 square feet at Building 5 at The Center at Needham Ranch. LA North plans to convert the space into a fully functioning satellite soundstage hub when it opens in early 2021.

Filming is Back in the Santa Clarita Valley 

Hollywood North has become a common moniker of the Santa Clarita Valley in reference to the large amount of filming that takes place here. And it’s true – there are many TV shows, feature films, music videos and commercials shot in our region. After an industry-wide shutdown affecting film and television productions and thousands of workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming is finally back, and SCV sound stages are filling up quickly. 

The Santa Clarita Valley Remains an Important Hub for the Film Industry

Hollywood North has become a common moniker of the Santa Clarita Valley in reference to the large amount of filming that takes place here. And it’s true – there are many TV shows, feature films, music videos and commercials shot in our region. The last fiscal year was another incredible year for the SCV, in part thanks to the City of Santa Clarita’s film-friendly attitude and Film Incentive Program and the California Film and Television Tax Credit Program which has brought many productions “home” from locations out of state.

Another Fantastic Fiscal Year for Location Filming in Santa Clarita

The City of Santa Clarita had another fantastic year of location filming in the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year with the Film Office recording 526 film permits and 1,380 film days, which generated an estimated $33.4 million in economic impact to the local community. These statistics represent an increase in the estimated economic impact when compared to the previous fiscal year.

Elite Media Technologies, a post production company founded in 2010, relocated to the Santa Clarita Valley from Burbank, CA in early 2019. They decided to make the move in part due to water damage at their existing facility, but also because they were quickly outgrowing their space.

Lights, Camera, Action! 4 Reasons Why Santa Clarita Valley IS Hollywood North

Quick question: Where do all your favorite movies come from?

Hollywood, obviously. Right? For decades, the town had a virtual monopoly on big-budget studio pictures to the point where the name has become synonymous with the entertainment industry.

Illumination Dynamics Relocating to SCV

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) and Clarion Partners, LLC announce that Illumination Dynamics has inked a long-term, 67,639 square foot lease at Building 1 at The Center at Needham Ranch in Santa Clarita, CA. Illumination Dynamics is an industry leader in providing lighting, grip and power distribution services to the live entertainment industry and a wholly owned subsidiary of ARRI Group, a global leader within the motion picture media industry and employing approximately 1,500 staff worldwide.

Independent Studio Signs Lease in Santa Clarita Valley

CBRE announced an independent studio operator signed a new 166,359 square-foot lease at Rockefeller Crossing, an industrial complex in Valencia, CA owned by LBA Realty.

Behind the Behind-the-Scenes

If you’ve ever been to a theme park, 4D show, concert, trade show, or even a museum, chances are you’ve seen some form of visual and special effects. But even after experiencing them, you probably have no idea how much actually goes into the production behind the scenes beyond CGI and other digital effects.

More Lights, Camera, Action in Santa Clarita

The City of Santa Clarita saw an increase in on-location filming in Fiscal Year 2017-2018 (July 2017 to June 2018), with the Film Office recording 560 film permits and 1377 film days, which generated an estimated $33.1 million in economic impact to the local community. This represents a 2.8 percent increase in permits, an 8.9 percent increase in film days and a 9.8 percent increase to the estimated economic impact when compared to Fiscal Year 2016-2017.

The State of eSports in LA (and Why You Need to Pay Attention)

Each year, video game players across the globe compete in tournaments for prize money that tops the salaries of many professional football players.

This Time, It's Personal – 5 Digital Trends Shaping 2018

If Alexa is reading this blog post to you, you already know 2018 has seen a big shift in how businesses and consumers interact with the internet.

Magic Kingdom – Filming "A Wrinkle in Time" in SCV

If you're one of the 10 million people who bought a ticket to see "A Wrinkle in Time" earlier this year, you probably gaped in awe at some of the fantastic and colorful settings.

Yes, some of them were computer generated – that's par for the course on a big-budget blockbuster these days – but some scenes were shot on location (courtesy of Santa Clarita Studios) right here in Santa Clarita Valley!

Must-See TV and Movies – New and Returning Shows Filmed in Santa Clarita

Not to gush, but are you caught up on Westworld? Possibly HBO's greatest achievement since Game of Thrones, season two of the western-cum-sci-fi epic is airing RIGHT NOW.

We bring this up not because SCVEDC is getting into the business of critiquing productions, but because some of the show's breathtaking cinematography was done right here in Santa Clarita.

It's Not a Small World After All – How to Find the Right Location to Film

You've got a killer script, a crackerjack director, and Mr. George Clooney is interested in starring in the production.

But where, oh where are you going to film your movie?

You Oughta Be in Pictures – Top 3 Factors to Consider When Selecting the Ideal Film Location

Some places feel like they’re made for film.

Picture the idyllic rolling fields of New Zealand – AKA The Shire from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Or the seemingly endless, barren deserts of Tunisia, transformed by George Lucas into the planet Tatooine in Star Wars. Or Central Park, a location playing itself in any number of films from Elf to When Harry Met Sally.

The Canyon Club is crossing valleys with its new location in Santa Clarita.

Santa Clarita is ready for its close-up!

Did you know that the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) has long been known as Hollywood’s backlot? Thanks to its close proximity to Hollywood and Los Angeles, its scenic backdrops, and filming incentive programs from the City, entertainment in the SCV has a long and storied history! All this vibrant television and film location filming added $33 million into the Santa Clarita economy last year. It’s the fourth consecutive year that the estimated economic impact generated from location filming has topped $30 million. 

The Santa Clarita Valley constantly lends its beautiful scenery and diverse geography to the filming of popular movies and TV shows. The SCVEDC is proud to be a partner and supporter of the thriving entertainment industry in the Santa Clarita Valley.

SCVEDC awarded Richard Photo Lab an Industry Cluster Attraction Incentive (ICAI) of $23,694 today. Richard Photo Lab relocated to the Santa Clarita Valley in 2015. As a company in the Digital Media & Entertainment cluster, the company was eligible for the incentive.

State Assemblymember Scott Wilk and the Santa Clarita Valley

Film industry people, studio and movie ranch owners and operators, and members of the Santa Clarita Economic Development Corporation executive committee and board gathered to tour the Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch – the land that Walt Disney first acquired in 1959.

Leaders of local movie ranches and studios met Tuesday evening at Golden Oak Ranch in an SCVEDC-organized event designed to promote filming in the Santa Clarita Valley.