SIMI BUILDING ON ITS SHOWBIZ HERITAGE NEW FILM OFFICE TO MARKET CITY FOR MORE LOCATION WORK.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Pointing to blockbusters like ``The Aviator'' and ``Sideways'' that were partly filmed in Ventura County, officials say they have hope that new efforts to promote filming in the area will pay off this year with more productions.

A Simi Valley Film Office is being established this year, replacing the Simi Valley Film Council, which had been an arm of the Chamber of Commerce.

The new office will continue to cooperate closely with the chamber, which will publish the Simi Valley Film Location's Guide in its annual business referral directory, said Lee Nixon, the Simi Valley Chamber president.

The office will also continue to sponsor a booth at the spring film locations trade show in Santa Monica.

Janet Waitkus, the former chamber official and film council member, is the new head of the Simi Valley Film Office.

She said there were more than 250 days of filming in Simi Valley in 2004, and she hopes for more this year. Simi Valley was used as a location for many of Hollywood's early films, particularly the old Western movies.

``We've got a strong history here in the entertainment industry,'' Waitkus said. ``Everyone benefits from filming.''

Meanwhile, the Economic Development Corp. of Oxnard is launching an effort to promote its Web site at www.edco.us to provide a database for all Ventura County film locations and services.

``We've been doing this since 1998, but we've noticed that about 80 percent of the locations listed on our Web site are from throughout the county, not just Oxnard,'' said Elizabeth Callahan, vice president of the EDC.

``Oxnard has the beach, Victorian homes and a lot of amenities. Fisherman's Wharf and the dunes are often used to replicate East Coast beaches. But you don't have mountains and sprawling ranches found in other areas of the county.''

Each part of Ventura County has special locations that are attractive for the film industry, she said.

``There are several cities in Ventura County that are very good in their marketing for filming, including Fillmore, Santa Paula, Simi Valley and Ventura,'' Callahan said.

Potential users of her agency's Web site, Callahan pointed out, could include collectors of unique items that could be used in films or owners of property that would make a good location for a movie or television show.

They might own a classic car, a special swimming pool, a boat or a piece of farm land that could produce extra income from Hollywood.

``We field at least 100 calls a month,'' said Callahan, who said filmmakers are looking for everything from Victorian mansions to quaint cottages, to quirky cars, retro storefronts, ethnic marketplaces and strawberry fields.

People may log on to the www.edco.us call the EDCO offices at [phone] to request information about how to participate.

She said the service is free and accessible to anyone who qualifies. There are links on the Web site to cities throughout the county, include Simi Valley, which encourages filming.

``When companies film in Ventura County, it benefits all the surrounding areas,'' Callahan said. ``It can be a very lucrative endeavor for the people who own property that is used in filming, but the local motels and surrounding communities also benefit when the filming crews stay in the area.''

Simi Valley officials, however, stress that their city is within a 30-mile radius of the studios in Hollywood, so it is not be necessary to put film crews up in motels and pay extra costs for filming away from home.

Waitkus said filming at popular Simi Valley-area locations like Brandeis- Bardin Institute, Corganville and Hummingbird Nest Ranch can save studios a great deal of money because of the proximity to Hollywood and the communities where their employees already live.

She said people who would like to register their businesses, homes or property in the Simi Valley area as potential filming sites should contact her at [phone] or e-mail information to: simifilmoffice(at)pacbell.net.

City officials said they want to work with the entertainment industry to make work as easy as possible in Simi Valley.

``I feel that promotion of filming throughout the county benefits everyone,'' said James Purtee, deputy city manager of the city of Simi Valley, which has developed an expedited permit process to facilitate entertainment industry work in Simi Valley.

``Simi Valley makes every effort to accommodate both large and small productions,'' Purtee said. ``It's close to the studios, which allows simple productions here with a quick turnaround.''

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com