FilmLA chief executive Paul Audley is stepping down from his role leading one of the largest film permitting offices in the United States, a meaningful management shake-up amid a production plunge in the region.

Denise Gutches, chief financial and operating officer since 2011, will succeed him at the start of next year, FilmLA said on Tuesday. She was one of the architects behind the online permit system.

Audley is leaving after 17 years with the film office as L.A. continues to see shooting levels drop. More than a year removed from the strikes, the entertainment industry hasn’t returned to filming in the region as initially expected. Worsened by reductions in content spend across most studios, production last year was at the lowest figure observed by FilmLA since it started tracking t

See Full Page