LOS ANGELES : Board of New Film Permit Agency Elects Officers

Gini Barrett, senior vice president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, was elected to head the governing arm of a newly formed Los Angeles-area film permit office.

Barrett on Tuesday was elected chair of the executive committee of the Entertainment Industry Development Corp., the nonprofit body set up to make it easier for film companies to obtain location shooting permits in the city of Los Angeles and much of Los Angeles County.

The new film office--which is not scheduled to begin issuing permits until July 1--was recently approved by the Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Creation of the office “signifies that the L.A. region is asserting its rightful leadership as the entertainment capital of the world,” said Barrett, the wife of state Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar).

On Tuesday, the 45-member board of directors of the development corporation met for the first time and elected the officers of its 11-member executive committee. Supervisor Mike Antonovich was elected first vice-chair and Councilman Hal Bernson second vice-chair.