1997 Promotional Pictorial 'Infomap,' Los Angeles Film Industry

An impressive 1997 pictorial view of Los Angeles by Bayside Promotions, highlighting the post-production industry, a subset of the region's larger film industry. It was published when an increasing share of post-production work was shifting to digital methods, which revolutionized editing and other post-production work.

A Closer Look

This view is oriented towards the northeast, with artistic license taken to accommodate the businesses highlighted, which were mostly located in Hollywood, Burbank, and Santa Monica. A grid surrounds the map, corresponding to an index of companies and offices at bottom, arranged by the type of service provided. Some familiar names appear, including Universal Studios, CBS, Disney, and 20th Century Fox, alongside lesser-known operations, a significant number of which focus on digital effects and editing, reflecting the changing nature of film production. A humorous reference to said changes appears at center towards bottom, where Charlie Chaplin's tramp character (holding a flower as in City Lights) sits, somewhat bewildered, before a computer.

Cities and neighborhoods along with local landmarks such as the Hollywood Bowl, the Hollywood Sign, and the Santa Monica Pier are illustrated and labeled. The Hollywood Burbank Airport (also known as Bob Hope Airport) appears at top-left, providing more direct access to centers of the film industry and a welcome alternative to the busy Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Publication History and Census

This view was prepared and published in 1997 by Bayside Promotions. No information is available on the company, but Art Bodner, illustrated and quoted at bottom-right, appears to have been involved with the production of other promotional maps throughout the 1990s, though not always under the title Bayside Promotions. An empty box at the bottom-left was intended for advertising sponsors - suggesting this map is likely a proof. We are unaware of any other examples of this map in institutional collections or on the market.