I want TV movies of the week. We've lost a lot of those to Canada. I'd like for us to get more. We also should have smaller and more unusual films shot here. Directing the film commission is a major job that involves attracting millions of dollars in revenue for the city.
Production companies stay in hotels, go to restaurants, rent cars.
They throw money around. That's why it's important who runs the commission. Johnston takes over a job that was occupied for 20 years by the highly regarded Robin Eickman, who died last fall. Before his appointment, Johnston worked as special assistant to the general manager of Muni, where he filled a number of roles, including public relations. Before that, he was Mayor Willie Brown's press secretary.