Reported by Chuck Carroll of the Mercury News:
Using his legendary muscle in the $31 billion film and television industry, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today named five Hollywood heavyweights to the California Film Commission, including stars Clint Eastwood and Danny DeVito. Schwarzenegger asked the five to find no-cost ways to promote the state's film industry at a time of major budget cuts in virtually every area of state spending, including the commission.

Although the governor makes appointments to various boards and commission on almost a daily basis, and very few ever notice, it was different today. The wide corridor outside his office was packed with onlookers eager to see whom Schwarzenegger would announce at a news conference across the hall.

"Every schoolkid and tourist in the building was there. It was a significant case of human gridlock," said H.D. Palmer, an employee with the state Finance Department.

Although the positions are unpaid, the commissioners bring to the table plenty of star power and a broad range of experience within the TV and film industry, from acting, to directing to producing.



In addition to actors-directors-producers Eastwood ("Dirty Harry") and DeVito ("Twins, Junior"), the other appointees are: actor-director Bill Duke ("Predator, Commando"), producer Tom Werner ("The Cosby Show") and producer-director Lili Zanuck ("Cocoon").

"I look forward to working with them to explore ways to use the Film Commission to bring more jobs to California and support film and television production in the state," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

The appointments won praise from some top Hollywood executives. Jack Valenti, president and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, called them in the statement "first rate and first class. So let the new day begin."

The California Film Commission works to enhance the economic climate in the state by keeping film industry jobs and projects in California. It scouts for film locations and helps secure permits and helps the industry in other ways.

Southern California remains the undisputed symbolic center of the worldwide TV and film industry, but it faces a growing threat from overseas and other parts of the United States. Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Los Angeles Economic Development Council, said the experience and high visibility of the new film commissioners should play a big role in keeping "one of California's keystone industries" competitive.

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Chuck Carroll