LA mayor-elect aims to put Hollywood center stage

In a closed-door meeting on the Sony Pictures Entertainment lot, a few dozen location scouts, agents, producers and studio executives gathered to discuss the state of L.A.'s hometown industry. Taking center stage: Los Angeles Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti. Garcetti held the meeting recently to solicit ideas on how he can help stem the exodus of film and TV production from Southern California.

He pledged to fight runaway production and to name a film czar to serve as an industry advocate in City Hall. Although reversing the loss of film production is beyond the power of a single politician, the fact that Garcetti was reaching out to the industry before even taking office was seen as a positive sign by his audience, according to people at the meeting. Several contrasted Garcetti's stance with that of outgoing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who also contemplated naming a film czar but never followed through.