One of the fixtures that we see in all major cities is the ubiquitous billboard. Try going down the major artery in any city and the chances are that you will see gigantic billboards left and right. Look up, and look even higher – the billboards are there.

Gone are the days of “wide open spaces.” They have been replaced by these structures – both vinyl and digital boards. Heck, even the sides of buildings are riddle with signage.

While I do realize the importance of these signage, I also realize that too much of it can destroy the charm of any city. And perhaps this is what the Los Angeles Planning Commission has in mind for they have voted to “recommend dramatically reworked restrictions on signs that would ban digital billboards and supergraphics — the vinyl signs stretched across the sides of buildings — throughout most of the city.”

According to a report published by the LA Times, the commission had debated over this issue, which would effectively reduce the size and nature of signs all over the city. The law will cover not only billboards but store and sales signs as well. One notable thing is that existing billboards and other signage will not be affected by the new law.

In any case, the City Council still has to take a look at the proposal before it can be enforced as the law. I am thinking that it will be approved, though, and it just might clean up the city’s skyline.

Photo courtesy of www.wmsalitdesign.com/projects/aof.html

If you thought that everything that has to do with the movies we see come out of Hollywood all come from the same place, think again. The truth of the matter is that more and more TV and film producers have been moving away from Hollywood – and the state of California, actually – in an effort to save on their expenses for production. It is but understandable, as the taxes in the state are quite notoriously high.

A natural consequence of this mass exodus of TV and film producers is the state’s government effort to stop them from leaving. And what has The Terminator done to do so? He has signed a bill offering considerable tax incentives to those TV and film producers who carry on with their production within the state of California.

If you are thinking that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is being a sell out by offering these tax cuts, you just might be wrong. Looking at it from another point of view, the fact is that he just might be doing the state a huge favor. If he didn’t offer these incentives, the state’s losses could very reach $10 billion by the end of the year. The tax incentives, on the other hand, involved $100 million per annum. Now compare those two figures….

The question now is this: “Is the tax program working?”

Apparently it is. According to Amy Lemisch, the executive director of the California Film Commission, she is swamped with calls from producers, directors, and studios, asking about how to keep production in the state. For us viewers, I guess this means “authentic” Hollywood films?