Meet LA’s new film czar, Tom Sherak

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Tom Sherak, the newly-appointed head of the Los Angeles Entertainment Industry and Production Office. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Los Angeles has a new film czar.

Today L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the appointment of Tom Sherak as head of the city’s Entertainment Industry and Production Office.

He’s a longtime Hollywood insider, and the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Sherak will work on helping LA compete with other states and countries that offer generous tax incentives to lure away film, TV and commercial production. He will receive $1 a year in salary.

He joined KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis to explain his original hesitation at taking the job, and what he plans to do to deal with runaway film, TV and commercial production.