MovieMaker Magazine ranked San Diego as one of the top 20 large cities for filmmakers to work and live in, city officials announced Wednesday.

MovieMaker ranked San Diego 16th among the U.S. and Canada’s large metro cities and regions, noting the city’s reestablishment of its film office in 2015 and the streamlining of the film permitting process. The magazine ranked Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the best large city in both countries for filmmakers.

“San Diego’s film industry is in the middle of a renaissance,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “We’re welcoming more and more filmmakers here to tell their stories and capture the vibrant and diverse cultures and geographic landmarks that make San Diego such a special place.”

City officials noted that Paramount Pictures began filming “Top Gun: Maverick,” the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster, in San Diego last year. Vice, E! Network, Comedy Central, HBO and National Geographic also filmed in San Diego in 2018.

According to the city, the film office granted 1,600 permits to film on public property in 2018.

“With Mayor Faulconer’s support, we have been able to attract local, national and international filmmakers to San Diego,” said Brandy Shimabukuro, the city’s film liaison. “Film productions such as the `Top Gun’ sequel and others have bolstered our civic pride and positively impacted our local economy.”

–City News Service

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