Shafinaaz Kamrul
A raucous Christian rock concert was the latest in Pierce College’s property rental for revenue. Although the concert was held under false pretenses, it added to the annual yearly outside revenue income of $300,000.
“In general it has been very beneficial to the college to be able to capitalize on our resources in this way. However, we are taking steps to be sure we enter into agreements that are consistent with our college mission and not an imposition to our students, staff and neighbors,” said Robert Garber, president of Pierce.
“We thought it was going to be a martial arts demonstration and didn’t find out about the real event until it was too late,” said Larry Kraus, enterprise manager at Pierce.
The college rents out the campus for events including corporate training, community meetings, sporting events or even television or movie filming.
The flat fee for filming is $2,400 for 18 hours of filming and parking. Additional fees include hiring security personnel and use of major facilities like the Performing Arts Building or use of the swimming pool. There must also be a $1 million insurance policy insuring Pierce against liability and property damage according to the Pierce filming Web site.
To rent the campus for filming or any other special event, all entities must first be approved by the college president.
The latest filming at Pierce was for a movie called “The Comebacks.” Past films include “Toy Story,” “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” “The Next Best Thing” and “The General’s Daughter.”
There were also many television shows filmed here including “24,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Freaks and Geeks.”
Even a Foster Farms chicken commercial was filmed in the campus farm area.
All services that the campus is used for must be appropriate. For instance, promotion of liquor or filming of adult films is not permitted.
“Everyone wanting to use the campus must be reviewed for acceptability for the college, and the president makes the final decision,” said Kraus.
Once approved, every group must follow certain guidelines relating to their event. If the campus is being used for any type of sporting event, in which there was the possibility of injury, there must be proof of insurance as well as a first-aid station in case of injury.
For bigger events, like filming, there must be college security officers present while the crew is on campus. One officer is required per 100 cast and crew members to protect college property and everyone involved.
If there is an event that is extremely large, the fire marshal and police or L.A. Sheriff’s deputies get involved for the safety of the students, faculty and guests on the campus.
According to the Pierce filming Web site, private groups must park any vehicles they have in locations that don’t block any type of fire protection equipment, walkways, handicapped ramps or parking spaces.
Pierce prefers that vehicles parked should have minimal effect on pedestrian traffic. If vehicles do affect pedestrian traffic, proper signs and safety barriers must be placed to warn people of potential hazards.
All film equipment, such as cameras, props, generators, or electrical cords, must be set up so that they don’t create safety hazards. When cables are laid across a walkway, mats or other cable covering such as this Printasleeve cabling protection, must be used to ensure the safety of everyone.
Cones must also be used around any production vehicle not in a marked parking space.
Construction on campus is allowed but everything built must be temporary. All temporary construction cannot damage college property or endanger faculty, students or the group renting the campus. Construction and equipment set up must be conducted in accordance with The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as the L.A. Fire Department standards.
It is also required that all land rented must still be somewhat accessible to the Pierce community.
All groups must obtain a “civic center permit” which allows them to conduct activities such as filming or swim meets, and depending on the event a building, permit from the city might need to be obtained.
The Pierce brochures for renting the campus list high tech classrooms, large lecture rooms, open-air stadiums, “high school” type architecture and mission-style buildings among other areas for lease.
