Thank you for visiting the California Film Commission’s website and reviewing our use policy. We have a Privacy Policy also available on this website. The California Film Commission wants you to know about the collection, use, security, and access to information that may be obtained through use of this website. By visiting this website, you are accepting the policies and practices described in this Notice. This use policy covers the following topics:

Please note that this use policy is subject to change without notice, and that it reflects the California Film Commission’s current business practices.

Also note that each department within the State may have additional privacy and use policies specific to the mission and needs of their work. Be sure to review those policies as you access additional sites within the State.

PERSONAL INFORMATION AND CHOICE

“Personal information” is information about a natural person that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history, readily identifiable to that specific individual. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information; however, it is considered “electronically collected personal information.”

According to Government Code §11015.5., “electronically collected personal information” means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual user, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, medical or employment history, password, electronic mail address, and information that reveals any network location or identity, but excludes any information manually submitted to a State agency by a user, whether electronically or in written form, and information on or relating to individuals who are users, serving in a business capacity, including, but not limited to, business owners, officers, or principals of that business.

“Electronically collected personal information” that we automatically collect includes your domain name or Internet Protocol address, and statistical information about which web pages you visit. If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific information (i.e., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the website, sending an e-mail, or participating in a survey) more detailed data will be collected. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the website.

If any type of personal information is requested on the website or volunteered by the user, State law, including the Information Practices Act of 1977, Government Code §11015.5., and the federal Privacy Act of 1974 may protect it. However, this information may be a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or State law.

Additionally, departments and agencies of the State of California under the authority of the Governor are required to adhere to the Privacy Policy which is also accessible on this website.

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT CHILDREN

Children are not eligible to use services that require submission of personal information, and we require that minors (under the age of 18) do not submit any personal information to us. This includes submitting personal information to the State as part of a user profile or personalization profile. If you are a minor, you can use these services only if used together with your parents or guardians. If you are a minor, you should seek guidance from your parents.

If the State decides to begin collecting personal information from children, it will notify parents that it is being requested, disclose the reasons for collecting it, and disclose our intended use of it. The State will seek parental consent before collecting any personally identifiable information. If it does collect it, parents may request information on the type of data being collected, view their child’s information, and, if they choose, prohibit the State from making further use of their child’s information. The State will not provide personal information about children to third parties.

INFORMATION COLLECTED AND HOW IT IS USED

We collect personal information directly from individuals who volunteer to use some of our services. Collection of this information is required to deliver the specific services, but use of these services is voluntary.

The information we automatically collect or store is used to improve the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. This information does not identify you personally and is used for gathering website statistics. The information we automatically collect and store in our logs about your visit helps us to analyze our website to continually improve the value of the materials available. Our website logs do not identify a visitor by personal information, and we make no attempt to link other websites with the individuals that browse the State’s website.

Government Code §11015.5.(a)(6) prohibits all state agencies from distributing or selling any electronically collected personal information, as defined above, about users to any third party without the permission of the user. The State does not sell any “electronically collected personal information.” Any distribution of “electronically collected personal information” will be solely for the purposes for which it was provided to us.

The State may provide or distribute certain lists and statistical reports of regulatory information as provided by law, but no personal information is sold or distributed, and all relevant legal protections still apply to the State’s websites.

INFORMATION SUBMITTED

If you choose to submit information to us, the information will be transmitted through secure lines to our departmental database. Any private information will only be used for the purposes for which it was provided and will not be shared with another entity except as prescribed by law. Please see our Privacy Policy for additional information.

USE OF INTERNET REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FORM INFORMATION

Any information you provide to us will only be shared with entities involved in your case as necessary. Information you provide may be included with other consumers’ information to be used for statistical reporting, trending data, and/or investigative actions. For example, we may need to retain information that becomes part of an enforcement action or consumer complaint case for a period of time after the closing date of the case.

If you provide us with information regarding an issue that does not fall within our regulatory jurisdiction, we may refer your information to the appropriate local, State, or federal agency on your behalf.

SURVEYS

If during your visit to the California Film Commission’s website you participate in a survey or send an email, the following additional information will be collected:

  1. The email address and contents of the email.
  2. Information volunteered in response to the survey.

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send us.

The information is retained in accordance with Government Code §11015.5.

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE

You may choose to provide us with personal information, as in email with a comment or question. We use the information to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes we forward your email to other State employees who may be better able to help you, and this staff may be employed by a different agency within the State. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations or, as required by law, we do not share our email with any other organizations.

We use your email to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to further improve our website, or to forward the email to another agency for appropriate action.

ORDER FORMS

If you place an order with us, we request information from the user on our order form. A user must provide contact information (like name and shipping address) and financial information (like credit card number and expiration date). This information is used for billing purposes and to fill your order/request. If we have trouble processing an order, this contact information is used to get in touch with you.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

In the State of California, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by State government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public’s right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs including maintaining the privacy of individuals. Both State and federal laws provide exceptions.

All information collected at this site becomes public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists. In the event of a conflict between this Use Policy and the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other applicable law will control.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Under Government Code §11015.5., if you choose, you may have any personal information collected about you discarded without reuse or distribution, provided we are contacted in a timely fashion.

AUTOMATIC COLLECTION OF INFORMATION/COOKIES

When you visit a State of California website, you should be aware that data linking your computer to a particular website (a “cookie”) may be created. Temporary cookies may be used when necessary to complete a transaction, to process data submitted to us online, to facilitate an ongoing Internet interaction, or to understand trends in the use of State websites. Cookies do not compromise your privacy or security. Using web browser settings, you can refuse the cookies or delete the cookie file from your computer by using any of the widely available methods.

SECURITY

The California Film Commission, as developer and manager of this website, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the entire State operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management. This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided via the State’s supported website.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

Our website has links to sites that may be useful to you and which may provide services. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the California Film Commission website and are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.

This website and the information it contains are provided as a public service by the California Film Commission. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The California Film Commission attempts to maintain the highest accuracy of content on its website. Any errors or omissions should be reported for investigation.

The California Film Commission makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the absolute accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this website and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this website. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this website or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. Reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the State of California, or its employees or agents.

This use policy is subject to change without notice.

OWNERSHIP

In general, information presented on this website, unless otherwise indicated, is considered in the public domain. It may be distributed or copied as permitted by law. However, the State does make use of copyrighted data (e.g., photographs) which may require additional permissions prior to your use. In order to minimize any possibility of intellectual property infringement, obtain prior written consent from the California Film Commission before using any content on this website. The State shall have the unlimited right to use for any purpose, free of any charge, all information submitted via this site except those submissions made under separate legal contract. The State shall be free to use, for any purpose, any ideas, concepts, or techniques contained in information provided through this site.

California Film Commission
7080 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Tel: 323.860.2960 | 800.858.4749
Email the CFC | About Us

State Programs
Register to Vote
Statewide Disaster Response Tool
California Grants Portal

Stay Informed! Sign Up:
Newsletters
Production Alerts
Soundstage Alerts
CFC Board Notices Sign-Up
Careers

Download the Cinemascout app!

cinemascout app icon

GO-Biz logo horizontal white

Leah M. Medrano

Leah M. Medrano

As the Acting Deputy Director for the Film and TV Tax Credit Program, Leah blends her production office experience with her 20-year experience in government relations. With production and media experience, Leah previously worked at Fox Television Stations, MTV Networks, Fox Sports Net / PrimeTicket, TMZ, and the local Los Angeles news group for CBS2 and KCAL9. Leah joined the California Film Commission when the Tax Credit Program was first enacted in 2009. Leah received her Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Communication Studies from Long Beach State University.

This will close in 0 seconds

Eric Klosterman

Eric Klosterman

Permit Manager
After a 35-year career as a location manager, Eric brings a wealth of knowledge and problem-solving skills as the Manager for the Permit Department. He served as 2016/17 President of the Location Managers Guild International. He’s a true industry veteran, having worked on many large-scale film and TV productions such as Black Rain, Indecent Proposal, Ghost, Anywhere but Here, ER, and Hart of Dixie.

This will close in 0 seconds

Erik Deutsch

Erik Deutsch

Erik is a media strategist with more than 20 years of experience in PR and social media marketing. He has managed award-winning campaigns for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He is a past-president of the Public Relations Society of America, Los Angeles Chapter (PRSA-LA) and a longtime instructor for UCLA Extension’s PR Certificate Program. Erik earned a BA in economics from UCLA and an MA in communication management from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication.

This will close in 0 seconds

Joseph Cruz

Joseph Cruz

Before joining the California Film Commission Joseph has also worked for the State of Caifornia Department of Corporations and Department of Social Services.  Joseph is a native New Yorker and an alumni of Antioch College and U.S. Navy veteran.  Joseph enjoys music, dancing, tennis and volleyball.  A favorite quote is:  “Anyone who keeps the ability to see life’s beauty never grows old in heart or spirit”

This will close in 0 seconds

Jennifer Jackson

Jennifer Jackson

Jennifer is a valued member of the CFC team having first joined in 2015 as an Administrative Assistant ensuring operations around human resources, purchasing, and travel ran smoothly. She was promoted to Location Resource Coordinator in July of 2022 where she currently assists productions throughout California and maintains CFC assets such as the location library and FLIC contacts across the Golden State.

Jennifer previously worked for the State with the Lanterman Developmental Center, and State Compensation Insurance Fund, in addition to 10 years in advertising sales with the Los Angeles Times, La Canada Valley Sun, and the Glendale News Press.

This will close in 0 seconds

Laura Baptista

Laura Baptista

General Assistant
Laura’s friendly voice will likely be the one you hear when calling the CFC’s office as she’s stationed at our front desk to handle reception and general office work. She joins us from the California Highway Patrol. She studied Cinema at San Francisco State University and also worked as a TV production assistant. In her spare time, Laura enjoys swimming, DIYing and studying to one day compete on Jeopardy.

This will close in 0 seconds

Lisa Mosher

Lisa Mosher

Lisa joined the California Film Commission in 1987 after years as a librarian with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and participated in a job exchange program with the British Film Institute. As the manager of the CFC’s Location Resource Center, Lisa supervises the organization of location photographs and contact information to permit offices statewide, while providing location and production assistance. She expanded the CFC’s hardcopy photo library and online location resource – CinemaScout - bringing all resources into the digital age.  Recently, Lisa also completed four decades as a part-time librarian with the Beverly Hills Public Library. She holds a USC Master of Science in Library Science and a UCLA Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Film. Working at the CFC alongside expert colleagues, creative film commissioners, and brilliant location professionals is a true calling and the joy of her life.

This will close in 0 seconds

Jerram Swartz

Jerram Swartz

After spending four decades in the trenches as an Assistant Director and Production Manager, with over 100 credits that include E.T. – The Extraterrestrial, The Blues Brothers, and The Walking Dead, and filming locations throughout the US and Europe, Jerram left the glamor of 16-hour workdays for the comparative sanity of the life of an analyst at the film commission, which he says is “one of the smartest moves I ever made.” Occasional lecturer, also Producer/Director/Lyricist for six seasons of The Pasadena Follies.

This will close in 0 seconds

Isaiah Sandoval

Isaiah Sandoval

As the Program Associate, Isaiah’s essential functions include technical aspects within the tax credit program. He oversees the creation and facilitation of the Soundstage Filming Tax Credit Application Portal, supports the funding tracker portal, and gathers data in preparation for the annual Progress Report. Isaiah previously worked for the California Department of Public Health and served in the United State Marine Corps. He’s a California native and graduate of California State University, Los Angeles.

This will close in 0 seconds

Francisco Vasquez

Francisco Vasquez

Francisco has worked for the State of California for six years and joins us from the Department of Motor Vehicles. While attending college, Francisco held an internship at the Office of U.S. House Member Karen Bass, representing the 34th District, where he assisted with scheduling meetings and community outreach program events. On his time off, Francisco is teaching himself how to play the electric guitar, while hanging out with his nieces and nephew.

This will close in 0 seconds

Film logo placeholder

Catherine Adamic

Catherine Adamic is the State parks permit coordinator for southern California. Catherine has been at the California Film Commission since the creation of the ‘talkies’ many decades ago. At one time or another, she has worked every position at the CFC. She started answering the phones, promoted and was the assistant for three directors and managed the FLICS (Film Liaisons in California, Statewide) program prior to coordinating permits. Born in Hollywood, she has a degree in film and a minor in photography. She is an avid traveler, writer, photographer and equestrian.

This will close in 0 seconds

David Booth

David Booth

David is the Permit Coordinator for the Caltrans desk at the CFC. He studied Film and Television Production at San Diego State University, and produced the award-winning shorts, Good Morning, Dave, Four for a Quarter, and the well-received Wordmeister series of educational videos. In his spare time David enjoys refurbishing old spoons and taking correspondence courses in breakdancing.

This will close in 0 seconds

Brandy Davis

Brandy Davis

Location Resource Advisor
Brandy joined the CFC team in 2018 as the Permit Coordinator for State Beaches, Parks, Buildings and Facilities before being promoted to Location Resource Advisor in March of 2022. She previously worked for State Parks’ Angeles District, where she worked for nearly three years. Before working for the State, she produced several non-fiction programs – from clip shows and talk shows to docu-reality series. Brandy also served as casting director for an independent film and a short film that was part of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. Brandy graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in Cinema & TV Arts.

This will close in 0 seconds

Officer Ian Ramer

Officer Ian Ramer

As the California Highway Patrol’s film liaison, Ian Ramer facilitates permitting for film production on roads, highways, freeways and related state property throughout California.  He works with CALTRANS, various road authorities, and production companies, to address safety and operational issues involving production activity.  Officer Ramer began his current post last December 2017 after transferring to CHP’s Southern Division office earlier that year. He joined CHP in 2007 and has also served as a public safety dispatcher and commercial vehicle inspection specialist.

This will close in 0 seconds

This will close in 0 seconds

Richard Schlesinger

Richard Schlesinger

Richard brings to the Film Commission over thirty years of experience as a Producer, Executive Producer, Line Producer, Screenwriter and Director. A specialist in international co-production, he has made movies and TV series in 20 countries around the world, as well as many states and provinces in the US and Canada. Seven of his screenplays have been produced. Richard speaks French fluently and has a degree in Film & Literature from Brown University.

This will close in 0 seconds

Alfonso Casey

Alfonso Casey

Permit Coordinator Caltrans Highways & Freeways

Alfonso is a native of Southern California with twelve years of experience working at one of the largest medical device manufacturers in the world. He graduated with a mathematics degree from Cal Poly Pomona. He enjoys crunching numbers, solving puzzles, basketball, and playing guitar.

This will close in 0 seconds

Jennifer Fierro

Jennifer Fierro

Jennifer is a native Angeleno, born and raised in Angelino Heights. She has worked in State service for about 8 years which started at the State Compensation Insurance Fund back in 2014. Prior to joining the Film Commission, she recently worked at the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Jennifer enjoys photography, cooking, camping/outdoor activities, and caring for her pet Dachshund, “Churro.” Jennifer enjoys watching classic films, including favorites such as “Casablanca,” “Man on Fire,” “The Outsiders,” and “Reservoir Dogs.”

This will close in 0 seconds

Shadina Tiffith

Shadina Tiffith

Administrative Assistant
Shadina joined the CFC team in September of 2022, as an Administrative Assistant. She previously worked in the film industry for Amazon Studios, as an Executive Administrative Assistant. She previously worked for the State of California Employment Development Department, as an Employment Specialist claim filer for several years. Shadina is a great addition to the administrative team. She brings her huge personality, her great customer service skills, along with her team player attitude, and all her wonderful talents, with a great deal of experience in office administration to our team. Shadina studied at Cal State LA, for a degree in Business Administration.

This will close in 0 seconds

Tiana Reynolds

Tiana Reynolds
Permit Coordinator Southern California State Parks

Tiana is the Southern California State Parks Coordinator at the CFC. She previously worked as the Film Billing Coordinator for CA State Parks. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a BA in Business Administration concentrating in Entertainment & Hospitality Management. In her free time, she likes to spend her time at Disneyland and trivia nights with friends.

This will close in 0 seconds

Lori Moilov

Lori Moilov

Permit Coordinator Southern California State Parks

Lori joined the CFC team in 2022 as the Permit Coordinator for State Beaches, Parks, Buildings and Facilities.  Before joining the team, she worked at Walt Disney Imagineering helping budget various media projects for the Disney parks as a Bidding Producer.  She has worked for several production companies at TBS, TNT, E!, CBS, HBO, Lifetime, BET, Jesse Collins Entertainment, and Animal Planet in production finance. Some shows include Silicon Valley, Angel From Hell, Roadies, The Arsenio Hall Show, BET Awards, Hip Hop Awards, Dirty little secret: Jodi Arias, Wild Recon, I’m Alive, Venom in Vegas, and more.   She started in the entertainment industry working for Robert Evans and his production company at Paramount Pictures reading manuscripts and scripts doing development and providing coverage.   Lori is a double major in Accounting and Marketing from California State University Long Beach.

This will close in 0 seconds

Omar Yousif

Omar Yousif

Program Coordinator

Omar Yousif is the Program Coordinator for the Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Omar brings experience in public relations and various government / non-profit work. He previously worked at Marino, BerlinRosen, and Vote 4 Me. Omar graduated from the University of Southern California, where he studied Public Relations and Political Science.

This will close in 0 seconds

Lorna Leslie

Lorna Leslie

Permit Coordinator Southern California State Parks

Lorna comes to the CFC after a long career as a Camera Assistant on Film, TV and Commercials projects. She has been living in Agua Dulce for almost 20 years. She has four chickens, two pygmy goats, and a dog named Chappie. She enjoys participating in community activities, volunteering, and spending time in the great outdoors. Also, she is a mixed media artist and sells some of her artwork in local shops.

This will close in 0 seconds

Fanshen Cox

Fanshen Cox

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Initiative Manager

Fanshen is the former SVP Development & Impact at Pearl Street Films. She holds an MFA from CalState LA and an honorary MFA from New York Film Academy. She’s an award-winning playwright, and is the producer and host of the Sista Brunch podcast - sharing the stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Fanshen is also a co-author of the Inclusion Rider, and founder of TruJuLo Productions which uplifts stories that speak truth in pursuit of justice, in service of love.

This will close in 0 seconds

Megan Fleming

Megan Fleming

Program Assistant

Megan worked in film & television development at companies such as The Safran Company for seven years before coming aboard as the Program Assistant at the California Film Commission Tax Credit Program.  She is originally from Lawrence, Kansas and graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Film and New Media.

This will close in 0 seconds

Leo Fialho

Leo Fialho

Permit Manager

Leo Fialho joined the California Film Commission in September 2024. As the Permit Manager, he leads a team of Permit Coordinators responsible for issuing permits for filming on state-owned and operated beaches, parks, buildings, roads, and open acreage. He works closely with location professionals, production companies, and government departments to analyze permit requests, guide productions through the permitting process, and support productions with on-location production issues.
A Brazilian-American, Leo holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Film & TV Production from NYU. Since 2004, he has been a Location Manager in Los Angeles, working on a wide range of productions, from large-scale feature films and streaming television shows to commercials and photo shoots.

This will close in 0 seconds

Heather-J

Heather Jennings

DEIA Program Associate

A native of Los Angeles, Heather Jennings’ career began at the Gersh Agency and Koch Company before moving into visual effects as a bidding producer, and ultimately VP of Film, at Rhythm & Hues. She later held Executive Producer roles at VFX houses Digital Domain and Method Studios. After serving as a Line Producer at Netflix Animation, Heather earned her Certificate in Sustainability at UCLA and obtained a LEED Green Associate credential. A member of the PGA and USGBC, Heather is passionate about advancing sustainable and equitable practices and inspiring climate action through storytelling.

This will close in 0 seconds

Laura Baptista

Laura Baptista

Administrative Assistant
Shadina originally joined the CFC team in September of 2022 to October of 2024, as a Management Services Technician. She recently returned to the CFC after previously working for the state of California Employment Development Department again. She has re-joined the CFC team again. With her experience in the film industry by previously working for Amazon Studios corporate offices, as an Executive Administrative Assistant for several years, Shadina is a great addition to the administrative team here at the CFC.

She brings her huge personality, her great customer service skills along with her knowledge and wonderful talents in displaying her team player attitude. With a great deal of experience not only in office administration, but a great deal of experience in GO-Biz Business affairs. Shadina studied at Cal State L.A. University and completed her studies with a B.A. degree in Business Administration.

This will close in 0 seconds

Shawn Wu

Shawn Wu

DEIA Program Associate

Shawn Wu worked as an Animation Development Executive at Nickelodeon for 6 years, where he developed character driven comedies with writers and artists. Shawn served as the Lieutenant of the Content Pillar of Paramount’s Kids & Family Inclusivity Council, where he oversaw the creation and launch of Nickelodeon’s Content Accelerator Program. Prior to Nickelodeon, Shawn worked as an NBC Page, where he had stints at Late Night with Seth Meyers, Universal Kids, and Broadway Video. Shawn began his career in entertainment as an intern for Sonja Morgan, Real Housewife of NYC. Shawn serves on the Board of Hollywood Radio Television Society’s Associates Branch and is a Volunteer Outreach Lead at SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition.

This will close in 0 seconds

Trey Bellows Jr

Trey Bellows Jr.

Program Assistant

Los Angeles native Trey Bellows Jr. has spent his entire life around the entertainment industry. Beginning as a child actor at age seven, he grew up on film and television sets throughout the city before shifting focus to his education. He earned a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from California State University, Fullerton.

Drawn back to entertainment, Trey worked across multiple disciplines—including audio engineering and camera work—before establishing himself as a Production Manager and Coordinator. His career spans music videos, commercials, films, and live events, and now he’s bringing his experience to the CFC to help support the film industry in his home.

This will close in 0 seconds