Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins has named State Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma, CPA, to serve on the California Film Commission.

The appointment is effective immediately, with her term of service being two years, or until a replacement is named by the speaker.

The California Film Commission was established to “enhance California’s status as a leader in the motion picture, television and commercial production.”

The commission supports productions of all sizes and budgets; advises productions on film and TV tax credits that they may be eligible for; as well as providing support in production issues like securing permits and shooting locations.

“California is home to Hollywood, mega stars, iconic landmarks, a highly diverse talent pool and great weather. I look forward to actively promoting our brand image as a world class filming destination,” said Ma. “The film industry creates so many jobs, and generates so much economic activity for our state, and I am committed to working with policy makers, industry leaders and community leaders across California to help strengthen the industry and create new jobs for Californians.”

“Fiona will be a great addition to the film commission. Her service in the Assembly, her expertise on tax issues, and her leadership in helping preserve and expand the film tax credit and means that she will be an outstanding voice for California’s most high-profile industry,” said Speaker Atkins.

Ma has a long and extensive track record promoting the film industry. During her time in the Assembly, she coauthored film tax credit legislation each year she served.

She has been a card-carrying member of the Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA) since 2007, having appeared in productions filmed in San Francisco.

The film and television industry is one of California’s largest, with more than 107,000 Californians employed in producing film and television.

In addition, economists estimate that for every job directly tied to the film industry, another 2.7 jobs are supported indirectly by vendors, contractors and specialists, bringing the number of jobs supported by the film industry to approximately 250,000 to 300,000 total jobs.

Wages in the film industry are higher than the state average, with an average $89,000 per year on the production side of the industry, increasing to an average of $106,000 in the post-production side of the industry.

The film industry in the United States is estimated to contribute $120 billion to the US economy, making it larger than the auto industry.

The California Film Commission was established in 1985 by then-Governor George Deukmejian, and consists of 26 members. Membership of the committee consists of a mix of appointees by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee, the Speaker of the Assembly, as well as ex officio seats held by various state agency representatives like Department of Parks & Recreation and Department of Transportation.

The commission oversees a number of programs and film offices, which help film producers secure shooting permits, maintain a comprehensive location database, as well as advise filmmakers on issues ranging from animal welfare laws to employee relations.

Visit the California Film Commission online at http://www.film.ca.gov/ .