Gary Smith

Head, LA County Film Office

LA County Department of Economic Opportunity

Gary Smith has served in Los Angeles County government for 19 years in senior leadership roles advancing policy and programs across foster care, homelessness, affordable housing, LGBTQ+ equity, and economic development. He has played a key role in shaping Countywide economic policy, with a particular focus on strengthening core industries that drive jobs, investment, and long-term regional competitiveness.

For the past nine years, Gary has led the Los Angeles County Film Office, overseeing the County’s film and television permitting system and its contractor, FilmLA. In this role, he provides strategic leadership at the intersection of economic development, public policy, and the entertainment industry—working closely with studios, productions, unions, guilds, associations, and other industry stakeholders to remove barriers to production, modernize permitting systems, expand access to County-owned filming locations, and resolve complex operational and community impacts associated with filming.

Under his leadership, the Film Office has advanced policies and operational reforms designed to retain and grow production in Los Angeles County, protect middle-class jobs, and enhance the County’s competitiveness in an increasingly global market. His office has produced two major reports on the entertainment industry, in 2018 and 2025, outlining Countywide recommendations to streamline regulations, support workforce development, and strengthen the long-term growth and resilience of the industry.

Originally from Beverly, Massachusetts, Gary has lived in Los Angeles for the past 26 years. He is a former stage actor and director in New York City and Boston and holds a B.A. in English and Theater, cum laude, from Suffolk University. He was a member of the Boston chapter of the Royal Shakespeare Company and previously worked as an associate producer for WBZ-TV Boston.