Entertainment industry gets buffeted by temblor: minor damage is reported and some work is disrupted.

Last week's earthquake disrupted the entertainment industry, with several major television production sets closed for the week. Damage to the major Hollywood studios was relatively light, although no firm damage estimates were available at press time.

Several studios including Universal Pictures Inc. and the Walt Disney Co. were shut for two days. The Universal Studios tour was closed for a day but even after it reopened its "Earthquake" attraction was not in operation in deference to the earthquake victims.

The Los Angeles city and county film permit offices did not miss a single day last week, as some film crews were issued verbal permits by film officials determined not to lose filming to other states and countries. However, some restrictions were being placed on crews.

"No explosions will be allowed in the San Fernando Valley," said Cody Cluff, executive for Los Angeles film office. "Those people have been put through enough trauma."

Damage to sound stages on studio lots shut down production on several network series including "Melrose Place," "Murder She Wrote" and "Coach." Work on some shows was shut down for the week while others such as "SeaQuest" lost two production days.

Several feature films, including "Beverly Hills Cop 3," which was in production at Warner Bros., were also shut down due to sound stage damage, according to studio executives.

Ralph Sariego, vice president of television production at MCA Inc.'s Universal Television division, said insurance will cover a "good" portion of the lost production time and expenses. However, it will take considerable time to collect on these claims. Sariego had three productions postponed last week because of the quake but he said overall damage to the lot's sound stages was minimal. Absenteeism at the major entertainment companies in the Burbank area (Warner Bros./Disney) was much higher than normal because many employees live in the damaged areas of the San Fernando Valley, studio officials said.

One of the most popular film locations in the county, Vasquez Rocks in the Santa Clarita Valley, was virtually cut off from the rest of the Los Angeles basin because of the collapse of the Antelope Valley Freeway. Disrupted phone service in the area and damage to sets already in place there were other concerns. The Vasquez Rocks area is among the most versatile locations in the county and was booked solid into March for a variety of movies, commercials and music videos, according to county film officials. Location managers will be reevaluating that area and may have to find other options.

"Crews will have to be based there (Santa Clarita Valley) instead of trying to commute," said Dee Stanley, manager of Walker Location Services. "For television productions where the budgets aren't that big, they may have to put thatlocation on the back burner and turn to another script and shoot in another part of town."

Stephanie Liner, director of the county's film office, said she expected to lose some business last week but anticipates making it up this week. She set up three satellite permit offices in her employees' homes to serve the industry. Cluff also made special arrangements to assist film crews despite being locked out of his Hollywood office while it was being assessed for earthquake damage. In the past, film companies have had problems getting permits from the city but the image of being "film unfriendly" is rapidly diminishing, location managers said.

"In the short term, this (the earthquake) doesn't help us in our efforts to retain film crews," Cluff said. "But life is coming back to normal and things will pick up again."

Cluff said the city is making a film comeback with an 11 percent pickup in film permits over the last six months compared to the same period a year ago. The city is now back to its 1992 pace.

There has been a pickup in feature film permits and television movies of the week, which had been showing the greatest drop. These productions are starting to gravitate back to the city because of concessions that are being made to the film industry, Cluff said.