Gary J. Onyshko

After receiving degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1983, Mr. Onyshko worked for a short time as a Trade and Investment Research Associate for the Investment Trade Division of the United States Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. In this capacity he performed research and summarized investment climate data from assessments generated by U.S Embassy’s around the world. Returning to California, Mr. Onyshko attended the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate degree and became a member of the California State Bar in 1988. Working as an attorney in Bakersfield CA, from 1988 to 1991, Mr. Onyshko gained experience on a variety of legal matters in the areas of real estate, business, consumer and contract law.

In 1991 Mr. Onyshko was hired as Associate Counsel by Tejon Ranch. Located approximately 70 miles north of Los Angeles, and encompassing approximately 270,000 acres of mostly undeveloped countryside, Tejon Ranch is a diversified agribusiness and real estate development company. Managing the activities of production companies who occasionally sought to film on Tejon Ranch because of its unspoiled beauty was just one of his many business and legal duties. Not having a production background at the time, and not content to merely wait for production companies to come calling, Mr. Onyshko educated himself about “on-location filming,” developed procedures for the orderly filming on ranch property and implemented aggressive business and marketing plans substantially increasing Tejon Ranch’s use as a film location by production companies from around the world.

In September of 2001, after nine years with Tejon Ranch, Mr. Onyshko accepted the position of General Manager and V.P. of Business and Legal Affairs with Real to Reel Locations. Founded in 1982, Real to Reel is one of the largest and oldest location agencies in Los Angeles representing a diverse portfolio of LA’s most sought after film locations. During his first two years with Real to Reel, a period that was relatively sluggish for on location filming in L.A., Mr. Onyshko substantially improved Real to Reel’s position in the industry by spearheading the conversion to digital photography and improving Real to Reel’s internet presence. Since then Mr. Onyshko has implemented further improvements in Real to Reel’s operations, customer service and marketing efforts, thus increasing market share and attracting more production companies to make use of Real to Reel’s portfolio of practical locations. In 2009 Mr. Onyshko acquired Real to Reel and became President and CEO. During his 20 years of working in the area of film locations, Mr. Onyshko has led or supervised negotiations with production companies for countless short term filming projects and several well-known long term filming projects, including the use of a former hospital for the hit T.V. show Scrubs for 7 consecutive years.

In addition to teaching young athletes about our great American past time by coaching Little League for the past 8 years, when time allows, he and his wife along with their two son’s enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as snow skiing, boating, camping, fishing, and off-roading.