Producer Manny Halley through his Imani Media Group has taken over Pacoima Studios with a long-term lease for the San Fernando Valley facility formerly operated by Quixote North Valley Studios.
It will be rebranded Imani Studio. Halley has a 25-year lease with an option to buy the complex of four sound stages across 125,000 square feet on a six-acre campus. The land on which the studio sits remains under Rexford Industrial Realty ownership.
News surfaced in April that Quixote was exiting most of its leased sound stage facilities in L.A. amid a pullback in the space by its parent company Hudson Pacific, reflecting ongoing disruption in the space. Production, softer overall, continues to migrate around the country and overseas chasing the best terms.
Halley said he’s looking both to support California production and use the studio as dedicated home base to develop and produce new projects. He’s shot 18 projects in California, 16 of which received state tax credit incentives.
He will invest up to $5 million in upgrades — including LED volume walls with real-time 3D virtual environments, and XR stages – and explore further investment and enhancements.
“Taking control of this facility is an important next step for us and for the future of production in California,” he said. “With Imani Studio, we have an opportunity to build on an experienced team, invest in the facility and create a production environment that serves filmmakers, producers and productions at the highest level.”
The existing team employed by the facility will remain in place to ensure continuity. Pacoima-hosted productions include MTV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 18 shot there through late July), A24’s MaXXXine, Apple TV+’s Physical, Netflix’s Atlas, and commercials. Projects for Amazon, Fox and BET are upcoming.
Halley’s recent credits include BET original comedy series Lot Patrol, True to the Game trilogy, Dutch, Dutch II: Angel’s Revenge, Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story, A Holiday Chance, Wayward, and Soul Mates.
Halley’s company spans music, management and distribution as well as production. BET executive Brian Rikuda, EVP Enterprise Growth Strategy, Business Operations and Programming Strategy, said supporting Black ownership and entrepreneurship across the entertainment industry is deeply important to the company and “we look forward to supporting Imani Studios’ growth and helping amplify its presence across the entertainment landscape.”
California Film Commission chief Colleen Bell, said facilities like these “help keep productions here, sustain good-paying jobs, and support the thousands of businesses and workers that make up our entertainment economy.”
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