Again, an extended span of time between blogs. What can I say? Much has happened this year, and claiming that we have been busy is an understatement.
Our year for stage rentals started off without much ado, but the momentum gathered with a vengeance. We have enjoyed seeing our stages filled with the usual array of productions large and small, music videos, reality shows, commercials, science fiction shorts, student projects, etc. We have welcomed new and old clients alike, and we are exceedingly pleased that this town is bustling.
In our continuing efforts to improve our facility, we have acquired some new furnishings and amenities for our stage offices in the way of tables, chairs, and rolling wardrobe racks. Our exterior landscaping is currently undergoing a major change--we have removed the towering eucalyptus trees and stumps, and we will be planting smaller, safer and more attractive flowering trees. The front area will be reseeded for grass, and the perimeter fenced in for improved security allowing our guests and renters to relax or enjoy meals in a protected park-like setting. Many more upgrades and improvements are in the works.
But some changes come with a heavy heart. We are both sad and happy that our site rep, Daniel Bither, will be leaving LCS, his last day being July 28. Daniel, who has been with our company since August of 2011, will be striking out on a new career path. Daniel has contributed enormously to our growth and success, and he will be sorely missed. He is looking forward with excitement to starting his new profession, and we are very happy for him. Thank you, Daniel. We wish you every success.
As one door closes, another opens. Please welcome our newest employee, Saul Salazar. Saul came to us as an intern from Mission College, and we were so impressed with his work ethic, diligence, intelligence, and that fact that he showed up showered and on time, we hired him. Seriously, Saul is a great guy, and we are lucky to have him.
Thank you for checking in with us. Please check back in the future for further updates. Until then, happy trails!
Best,
Lex, Mary, Patrick, Daniel, Saul, and Portia
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
LCS GETS A FACELIFT
Hey everybody, remember us? Sorry we've been off line for some time, but busy is our most used 4-letter word this year. It seems that the L.A. entertainment business has picked up substantially in 2016, and we've been enjoying the ride of steady stage rentals at our facility. We were sorry to have disappointed so many of you in October and early November when our company was closed for seismic retrofit, installation of new Stage B roll-up doors, exterior building repainting, new security lights, and other various upgrades. That's just the beginning--there's much more to come in the near future! We are now back into the full swing of things, and we still have days available in November and December. Call us now to put your dates on hold or book. We look forward to meeting your stage rental needs with excellent service and facilities. From all of us at LCS, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Best regards, Lex, Mary, Patrick, Daniel, & Portia
Hey, everybody! We hope your summer is chugging along splendidly in spite of heat and drought. Californians are nothing if not resilient, and we can pretty much weather anything, no pun intended. Since our last post, much has happened. We've enjoyed a fabulous array of productions at LCS, and perhaps the most notable one was a revisit to our spaceships sets by none other than several of the cast members of FIREFLY. Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion had an overwhelming response to their crowd-funded feature project, CON MAN, and key scenes for their comedy feature were lensed at our stages. Even the creator and writer-director extraordinaire, Joss Whedon, made a cameo appearance. If you haven't already seen it, check out the trailer for this witty, tongue-in-cheek knee slapper on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLdcAvnAIZ0. The retooling of portions of our spaceship sets is receiving nothing but thumbs up by our renters. In particular, the large observation deck has been modified, reinforced, and the flooring fortified by steel decking. The decking, by the way, is modular and removable for use on Stage A. Sections are available for rent in two 4'x8' and two 4'x4' sections. for pricing and and additional information, please contact our office. A variety of science-fiction, commercials, internet, music video, and comedy productions have been here this summer, and we've enjoyed having every one of them. We're having a great year so far, and judging by the projects that have passed through our stages, there is an abundance of fine talent and entertainment to look forward to. Thank you to all our renters. You are the reason for our success, and we strive to help you achieve yours. Best regards, Mary, Lex, Patrick, Daniel, Andy, and Travis
Hailing frequencies open! Seems like a light year since we last communicated. We bring overdue salutations and news from our quadrant. The news is that our large set, otherwise known as "the observation deck," was just redesigned and refortified. Our deck now offers additional useable floor space, sturdier decking, and is more versatile for camera setups and performances. If you're looking for amazing science fiction spaceship sets for your next project, come check us out. And in case you aren't aware, our Stage B with the standing sets also offers upstairs, furnished production offices including a large conference room, wardrobe room, and make-up station along with a fully equipped kitchen on the first floor. As always, we provide ample parking, a supply of folding tables and chairs for your crew, Wi-Fi, cleaning fee, and a rubbish haul with every rental. Such a deal! Need a green screen? Look no further! Our Stage A with its oh-so-lovely two-wall hard cyc offers a spacious 65' long, 16' high, and 30' deep background for your process photography. Kino-Flo Image 80 lights on the overhead cyc grid provide the perfect fill light and are included with Stage A rental. Plan a scout to our end of the system, and see our stages for yourself. It's well worth the trip. Signing off, Mary, Lex, Patrick, and Daniel
From February 14 through February 21, 2015, LCS is offering its Stage A with a WHITE CYC at 20% off the base rental rate. After the 21st, there is no guarantee that the cyc will be white, so contact our office soon to book your rental.
For information, call us at (818) 768-8935 or contact us via email: mary@lcstages.com.
For those of you either old enough or young enough to remember "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," this was Michaelangelo's typical greeting. And like the words to the song, "everything old is new again," so it rings true for TMNT. From the pages of popular comics, TMNT has evolved into animation, games, toys, a live stage event, a movie, and now a new feature extravaganza directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Michael Bay.
The reason my blog is rippling with turtle excitement is because one of our favorite clients, Colossal Youth, just shot a TMNT promo on our Stage A to be released on Adult Swim. The production included miniature sets of New York City, a cat ("Shredder"), a rat ("Splinter," the rodent sensei), and, of course, TURTLES!
The reptilian stars were Billy, Franklin, Mocha, and Speedy, all of whom are renown method actors. Each creature was outfitted with a custom costume and scaled-down props. The turtles were soooo cute in their little masks and martial arts accoutrement. Animal performers were provided by Hollywood Animals, top-notch wranglers of domestic and exotic non-human thespians.
On the non-animal end, in recent weeks, we've enjoyed having Comedy Central's "Kroll Show" here, "Hollywood Divas," a slew of music videos, a couple feature pick-ups, and several student and indie productions. July and August are sizing up to be just as busy with a smorgasbord of productions. It keeps things interesting around here!
The last time I posted our blog, our big beautiful cyc had just been painted a wonderful white to meet the demands of renters who need this color. Now, in order to meet our renters' needs again, we have returned the cyc to glorious green. We have the capability to switch between colors quickly and affordably--rather chameleon-like, wouldn't you say? If you need green, then go, go, go and contact us for appointment to see our stages.
As usual, Stage B with the longest-standing science-fiction spaceship sets in the biz have been busy. A slew of student productions, music videos, indie shorts, commercials, internet projects, and photo shoots have shot here so far this year. We even had a pair of beautiful foxes--yes, real foxes--here during a recent production. Foxes in space--sounds like a bad '60's sci-fi with buxom starlets.
Every now and again, I want to acknowledge one of our business support companies. A big shout out to Bulldog Equipment Inc. in Santa Clarita. Bulldog is a family-owned and operated high-lift equipment rental company that offers a wide range of scissor lifts, boom lifts, fork lifts, and more for the entertainment industry. Great service, great rates. Check 'em out at bulldogequipmentrentals.com
Keep an eye open for our upcoming beat-the-heat summer specials!