Producer Manny Halley Leases Former Quixote Soundstage in Pacoima to Reopen as Imani Studio
- Producer Manny Halley has taken over a former Quixote studio facility in Pacoima through his company Imani Media Group, securing a 25-year lease for the San Fernando Valley...
- While Halley holds a 25-year lease with an option to buy the complex, the underlying land remains under the ownership of Rexford Industrial Realty.
- Halley plans to invest up to $5 million in upgrades for the Pacoima site, including LED volume walls equipped with real-time 3D virtual environments and extended reality (XR)...
Producer Manny Halley has taken over a former Quixote studio facility in Pacoima through his company Imani Media Group, securing a 25-year lease for the San Fernando Valley complex. The 125,000-square-foot campus, which features four sound stages across six acres, was formerly operated as Quixote North Valley Studios before its parent company pulled back from much of its Los Angeles soundstage business.
Manny Halley Secures 25-Year Lease on Pacoima Lot
The facility will be rebranded as Imani Studio. While Halley holds a 25-year lease with an option to buy the complex, the underlying land remains under the ownership of Rexford Industrial Realty. News surfaced in April that Quixote was exiting most of its leased soundstage facilities in L.A. amid a pullback in the space by its parent company Hudson Pacific, reflecting ongoing disruption in the space, while production, softer overall, continues to migrate around the country and overseas chasing the best terms.
Multi-Million Dollar Upgrades and State Tax Incentives
Halley plans to invest up to $5 million in upgrades for the Pacoima site, including LED volume walls equipped with real-time 3D virtual environments and extended reality (XR) stages. The producer intends to use the studio as a dedicated home base to develop and produce new projects while supporting California production. Halley has previously shot 18 projects in California, with 16 of which received state tax credit incentives.
Staff Retention and Local Economic Impact
To maintain operational continuity, the existing team employed by the facility will remain in place. According to Colleen Bell, head of the California Film Commission, venues of this nature play a crucial role in retaining local productions, preserving lucrative employment, and backing the myriad enterprises and personnel comprising the entertainment sector.
High-Profile Credits and Past Productions
The Pacoima facility has hosted several high-profile projects, including MTV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 18 shot there through late July). Additional past productions at the lot include A24’s MaXXXine, Apple TV+’s Physical, Netflix’s Atlas, and commercials, with upcoming projects for Amazon, Fox and BET.
Expanding Imani Media’s Entertainment Footprint
Among Halley’s latest film and television projects are the BET original comedy show Lot Patrol, the True to the Game movie series, Dutch, Dutch II: Angel’s Revenge, Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story, A Holiday Chance, Wayward, and Soul Mates. Imani Media Group spans music, management and distribution as well as production. BET executive Brian Rikuda, EVP Enterprise Growth Strategy, Business Operations and Programming Strategy, noted that supporting Black ownership and entrepreneurship across the entertainment industry is deeply important to the company, adding that we look forward to supporting Imani Studios’ growth and helping amplify its presence across the entertainment landscape.
