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Film Crews To Get VIP Treatment In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – San Francisco is rolling out the red carpet to lure television and film crews to film in the City by the Bay with new incentives that include discounts on equipment rentals and professional services.

The San Francisco Film Commission is expanding its "Scene in San Francisco" vendor discount program to include production services. This aims to encourage television and movie makers to stay put for post production work once a movie or series is shot.

"Most of it, actually, ends up going down to Los Angeles," said Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Commission, Susannah Greason Robbins. "Now we're rolling out this new production services portion of it where they can get discounts on production and post production, equipment rentals and audio services."

Greason Robbins said that there are some top notch film production studios right here in the Bay Area. She said that some producers have already shown interest.

KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:

"He was thinking of doing both of these films, which he has now sent me scripts for, down in Los Angeles," said Greason Robbins. "But when he heard about the rebate program, he said he could do it up here and save money."

San Francisco also offers rebate programs for permit fees, payroll taxes, police service and rental of city owned property. Estimated total budgets for films shot in San Francisco last year came to $28 million.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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