About Westlake Village
Westlake Village is an affluent bedroom community of 8.300 residents located 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. This community has a strong employment base supported by the corporate presence of J.D. Power, Dole, and Anheuser-Busch.
Westlake Village is located at the northern border of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties within the nine-mile strip of land extending west to the Pacific. Westlake Village is nine miles north of the Malibu coastline with the Santa Monica Mountains traversing the land between these two cities. The development of Westlake straddled Ventura and Los Angeles Counties with a man-made 125-acre Westlake at the center. The self-sustaining city of today is a product of this early 1960s vision of suburbanism.
Because of a change in California law that prohibited a city from being located in two counties, the planned City of Westlake had to be split. The portion of the city in Ventura County was annexed into Thousand Oaks. The remainder of the city in Los Angeles County was re-incorporated into the City of Westlake Village. This small affluent community with its sustaining employment and labor base defined the live-work-play lifestyle long before this became trendy.
Production Space Options in Westlake Village
The offered production space options range from open studios, specialty commercial settings, private homes with acreage, and in urban settings. All ancillary services to the staging phases of a production are in or serving Westlake Village. For those services contracted in the Greater Los Angeles area will be considered local for the production to achieve all benefits within the 30-Mile Studio Zone and the state tax incentives.
- Staging
Westlake Village is in the area of Southern California where film production is a major driver of the economy. With its proximity to the Los Angeles market, all staging phases of production can be performed by local talent employed by local vendors. Any film project will benefit from the positive effects on the budget, in addition to the local knowledge brought to the staging phases.
- Catering
The food service brought to a production space will be the most scrutinized of all the ancillary services on the set. Catering in and of itself is a form of art incorporating customized serving detail and menu options. It is necessary to contract with a catering company with experience in serving a production set.
- Permitting
All filming within the city limits requires a permit under specific rules and guidelines. There are no exceptions from the permit requirement for film projects for non-profit or educational purposes. The burden is placed upon the production company to liaise with the public for needed authorizations and to coordinate with other city services that may be needed for road closures and special effects.
Production Space Companies in Westlake Village
All companies providing ancillary services to production development located in Los Angeles will be considered local to Westlake Village. The contracting for furnishings, labor, and equipment will bring wage investment and job creation into the base economy to strengthen the merits of an application for tax incentives. The city leadership recognizes the value of filmmaking and the exposure of the local attributes to the production industry.
- Sunbelt Rentals
This national company has a presence in Los Angeles and serves Westland Village. The service technicians employed at Sunbelt have the capability to access a production set to determine the need for equipment, material handling, scaffolding, ground stabilization, and cabling for portable power. These services cover set-up and breakdown. The production industry is a specific service named in Sunbelt’s expertise.
- Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition
This cooperative of film professionals focuses on the distribution of the final product to theaters throughout the US. The form of delivery is modernized by using encrypted files via satellite and away from the traditional hard drive method. This coalition delivers feature and indie films, trailers, and any special content required by either the production company or the theater. The delivery system perfected by the DCDC is known to be dependable, budget-friendly, and hassle-free for the production company.
- Picture Start Props
An important step to establishing the image and tone of a story to elicit a positive reaction from the audience is set furnishing. Picture Start Props supplies décor, furniture, and hand props to stage sets. Pricing discounts are extended to production companies under set policies and rules. The schedule for delivery and return can be customized to meld with any early wrap-ups or delays.
Pros and Cons of Production Space in Westlake Village
There are pros and cons to every task and project. Often, any disadvantages are mitigated when placed in context with the whole as opposed to being considered as a stand-alone item. Absent any extenuating circumstances, advantages and disadvantages are not mutually exclusive from the other.
Advantages
- Climate
You will not be uncomfortable outdoors no matter what time of year you are in Westlake Village. The summers are in the mid-80s for the high and winters rarely drop below 50 degrees F.
- California Film Commission
California offers tax incentives to production companies that begin projects in California or relocate from another state. The maximum tax incentive is a 25% tax reduction in qualified expenses with some being transferrable.
- The versatility of outdoor scenery
If the production project requires a setting in a small affluent community surrounded by mountains and canyons, then Westlake Village is the ideal production location. The homes and buildings are fitting to the scenery.
Disadvantages
- Competition
Since the scenery is versatile and the production spaces are not location specific, competition for space and services will be high. The competition invites higher prices in a tight market.
- FilmLA
FilmLA does not serve Westlake Village. With this, the permit application package becomes onerous to the production company as liaison services with the public and other city departments are not available.
- Transportation
The choice of practical transportation between Westlake Village and Los Angeles is limited to one—the private car. The travel time in a private car for the 40-mile drive can be less than one hour once the LA traffic is passed.
Famous Locations in Westlake Village
- Westlake Golf Course
This famed course was built in 1967 and has since remained the area’s most popular public course. From the reviews, the course is both challenging and fun. The course is 5,005 yards and is considered walkable for players wanting additional exercise rather than the leisure outing using a golf cart.
- Pedego 101 Electric Bikes
Renting an electric bike is the best way to tour the mountains and canyons surrounding Westlake Village. The ability to change from pedaling to electric motor makes the terrain easier to maneuver and the ride enjoyable. The tours can be either pre-determined or specially guided. Helmets, detailed maps, and bike locks are included with the rental.
- Chumash Indian Museum
The museum is located on a historical site of a past Chumash village. The Chumash tribe is considered the real first settlers of the area. In addition to being considered a preservation site, the museum is also a living history center to educate the present-day population on the contributions of the Chumash to environment protection. This venue is also a gathering place for native and non-native community members to remain connected to the past for a sustainable path forward.
