Former Motion Picture Association of American executive Bob Pisano will serve as an informal advisor to Tom Sherak, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s new film czar.
Garcetti appointed Sherak in September hoping that the former Academy president could devise a strategy to keep production in Los Angeles.
Pisano will help Sherak in his quest to secure tax incentives and rebates. He left the MPAA in 2011 after six years at the organization, and was one of the names under consideration for Sherak’s position.
Also read: New L.A. Film Czar Tom Sherak: ‘For Me, Politics Is the Final Frontier’
He had been interim CEO at MPAA before Chris Dodd took over and president prior to that. He brings deep experience as a former guild and studio exec to Sherak’s venture: Prior to joining the MPAA, Pisano led the Screen Actors Guild. He served in key exec roles at MGM and Paramount. Earlier in his career, he worked as a lawyer.
Garcetti’s appointment of Sherak as LA film czar fulfilled his post-election promise to appoint a high-profile figure to steward one of his top priorities: keeping film production in Los Angeles.
The city has suffered major declines in location production over the years as more states and foreign countries up their incentive programs.