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CC: (1) Consideration of the Amount of In-Kind Assistance for and Possible City Sponsorship of the Asian World Film Festival; and (2) Approval of Related License Agreement.
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Contact Person/Dept: Jeremy Green/CClk
Phone Number: 310.253.5859
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/10/15)
Department Approval: Martin R. Cole, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk
(09/09/15)
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council (1) consider the amount of in-kind financial assistance for and potential City sponsorship of the Asian World Film Festival, and (2) approve related license agreements.
BACKGROUND:
During the February 13, 2012 City Council meeting, the City Council expressed the desire for there to be consistency for assistance of special events and encouraged staff to meet with event organizers to determine their ability to conduct the event with limited assistance.
Staff determined the types of assistance that could be provided to events with limited impacts on the General Fund:
• Waiver of property rental fees
• Provision of in-kind equipment rental
• Waiver of in-kind staff costs for services during regular business hours
• Waiver of permit fees
At the June 22, 2015 City Council meeting, Asian World Film Festival (Festival) producer Georges Chamchoum described his event and requested City assistance for the premiere Festival. The City Council expressed initial interest in the proposal and asked the producer to meet with staff to determine, in more detail, what the Festival was requesting from the City.
ASIAN WORLD FILM FESTIVAL
The Asian World Film Festival is a new film festival, organized under the non-profit organization, Aitysh USA, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded by Sadyk Sher-Niyaz for the purposes of bringing creative film and art programs that will inspire, empower, and connect community members and individual artists.
The Festival will take place October 26 - November 2, 2015 and will have its opening night celebration gala at the Culver Hotel and many of its open-to-the public movie screenings at the ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, including the opening and closing night screenings.
The Festival’s goal is to bring the best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to the Los Angeles area in order to draw greater recognition to the region's wealth of filmmakers, strengthening ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries. The Festival aims to champion films from 50 countries across Asia, spanning from Turkey to Japan and from Russia to India.
Producer Requests from City
The producer is requesting City sponsorship in the form of fee waivers for rental locations for the opening night event to allow a red carpet arrival area utilizing the former Washington Boulevard right-of-way for the valet area and Town Plaza for a red carpet entrance to the gala at the Culver Hotel. There will also be a smaller red carpet in front of the ArcLight Cinemas for entrance to the opening night movie screening. They are also requesting marketing and promotion of the entire Festival on the City’s website, through e-mail blasts and other methods, the waiver of staff costs during regular business hours for coordination and promotion of the entire Festival, and fee waivers for the special event and recycling permit fee costs. The request for financial assistance totals $1,620.00.
According to the producing team, The Culver Hotel will provide the valet parking service as an extension of the hotel’s existing valet service and will use Parcel B (secured separately at the hotel’s cost) for the parking of the additional vehicles. Because there is an existing valet permit, there will be no valet permit fees or additional valet-related charges from the Public Works Department. The producers will be required to get an encroachment permit through the Public Works Department as part of the special event permit for use of Town Plaza as a gateway from the valet drop-off to the hotel and to the ArcLight Cinema venue.
DISCUSSION:
City Sponsorship
As a City sponsored event, the Festival would be eligible for City marketing support of the event, including the hanging of banners in the public right-of-way (if such banners are requested by the producer). However, the producers have not made a request for banners at this time.
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii., confirming that the City is (a) participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation or promotion of the event or activity; and (b) contributing 25% of the total estimated costs of the civic event or activity or at least $1,000, whichever is less. This contribution may take the form of funds, labor, staff time, materials, a waiver of fees, or any combination thereof.
The CCMC requires both (a) AND (b) conditions be satisfied. Additionally, City Council Policy requires that in order for an event to be considered City sponsored, the City Council must determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
Should the City Council determine to provide support in an amount of at least $1,000 (funds, staff time, and/or fee waivers, etc.), then the Festival may be designated a City sponsored event. Should the Festival receive City sponsorship, the organizers will be required to include the City’s logo on any marketing materials prepared and list the City as a sponsor of the event in e-mails, on their website, in promotions, press releases and on printed materials, where applicable.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Dedication of in-kind staff time to the event would mean a reduced availability of staff time for other City efforts but would not create an additional fiscal impact to the City. The producer is also asking for permit fees to be waived, which would result in less revenue than would otherwise be collected absent a fee waiver. As detailed in the attachments, it is proposed that staff time during regular business hours, property and equipment rental fees, and permit fees be waived in the amount of $1,620.00.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Asian World Film Festival letter of request for assistance and information PowerPoint document.
2. Spreadsheet of City costs requested for fee waiver.
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Determine what level of in-kind financial assistance to provide for the Asian World Film Festival; and,
2. (In the case such in-kind financial assistance is determined to be at least $1,000), consider designating the Asian World Film Festival as a City-Sponsored event; and,
3. Approve a License Agreement between the City and the Asian World Film Festival Organization for the use of City public rights-of-way, property, and in-kind staff time; and,
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
5. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.