L.A. film and TV production down 22.4% in first quarter

Pressure has mounted for the California Legislature to take action on a bill that would expand tax credits for the film and television industry after an April 14 quarterly report from Film LA showed a 22.4% decrease in overall production compared to 2024. When isolated to feature film production and television production, the numbers fell 28.9% and 30.5%, respectively.

In the last decade, and particularly since the pandemic and 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, many production companies have chosen to film in other states, and even other countries, taking advantage of lucrative tax incentives. Georgia, for instance, has no cap on tax incentives for film and television productions.

On April 11, prior to the Film LA report, Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) held a press conference with union leaders from across the entertainment industry, advocating for the California Legislature to pass the bill, which would increase the $330 million in tax incentives annually awarded to state productions to roughly $750 million. The legislation would also expand the definition of what programs qualify, including series averaging at least 20 minutes in length, animated movies and series, and some competition shows. Previously, shorter series like sitcoms and animated projects were not a part of tax credit consideration.

“The entertainment industry is the key to California’s economy,” Friedman said. “It creates over 600,000 jobs and is [vital] to Silicon Valley and the creativity that industry relies on. It creates $30 billion in economic impact annually … and there’s a $100 billion tourism industry tied to our creative economy. So, our message today is that the entertainment industry is looking to all of the elected leaders, like myself, to work together to make Los Angeles the most filming-friendly location in the world. We are looking for Hollywood, to the studios and producers, to commit to bringing production back to Los Angeles.”

Friedman also said she is advocating for the creation of nationwide incentives at the federal level, in an attempt to keep American productions from moving out of the country.

“I will keep fighting for federal support, including common sense tax plans to keep the signature industry in America, not overseas, so that America can tell our stories of who we are to the world,” Friedman said. “This is not just about nostalgia for Hollywood. It’s about our families and it’s about rebuilding. We cannot outsource L.A.’s talent. You cannot green screen the iconic locations that California offers.”

The January wildfires have brought increased focus to declines in the Los Angeles film and TV industries, with hundreds of industry professionals displaced from their homes. The disaster prompted the creation of Stay in LA, a grassroots organization that aims to keep studios from basing productions in other cities.

“At the time, separate conversations were happening – one among writers and directors, and another among crew and commercial workers – about how deeply this would impact the production community,” Stay in LA founder Pamela Buzick Kim said. “Being part of both groups, I was able to bring us together. We became a grassroots coalition of people in and around the industry who saw what was coming and knew we had to act fast.”

Stay in LA took off on social media.

“Our work started with awareness – amplifying how urgent the situation really was. From there, we moved into action: organizing rallies, speaking at City Council, meeting with legislators, testifying in Sacramento, writing letters and connecting with community leaders across California. We’re focused on legislative impact, but also on showing the public how much this industry contributes to daily life in L.A,” Buzick Kim said.

Part of Stay in LA’s objective is to bring exposure to the local impacts of the film and television industry.

“This industry is the community. For every $1 of production, $1.07 comes back in direct tax revenue – and $24 in broader economic impact. That goes to dry cleaners, restaurants, coffee shops, parking lots, local shops. Our kids go to school here. We pick up our dry cleaning here. We eat at mom-and-pop restaurants. And yes – we drink a lot of coffee. When production leaves L.A., the ripple effects hit everyone,” Buzick Kim said.

Rabeyah Khan, an assistant location manager and member of Teamster Local 399, has worked on numerous large-scale productions.

“For the location department, our budgets are basically budgets that go directly to the community,” Khan said. “We go to neighborhoods. We knock on doors. We pay residents [and] people impacted by funding. We pay schools. We pay churches to use their properties for parking. We knock on all the business doors and we pay them for the inconvenience of filming or pay them for using their premises. And then we also employ the [Los Angeles Police Department] and the fire department. They have to be on set to help make sure everything is up to code and safe.”

Buzick Kim said that location was one of the primary reasons why the industry settled in California.

“California has the most visually diverse topography in the country – beaches, mountains, cities, farmland, deserts, all within driving distance,” she said. “That’s part of why California built this legacy in the first place. If we can make it easier and more competitive to shoot here again, we all benefit.”

Brigitta Romanov, the executive director of the Costume Designers Guild, said the situation in Los Angeles is “dire.”

“This isn’t just a slow period. This is a crisis,” Romanov said. “I know this firsthand. In under six months, I’ve lost over 200 members … These are hardworking, skilled professionals who are now forced to rely on already overburdened systems like Medicaid, food stamps and, in some heartbreaking cases, even facing homelessness. We are not here asking for you to give us a handout. Give us help. We need a solution. The talent is here. The infrastructure is here. California built this industry, and now we must ensure that the studios don’t turn their backs on the very people who sustained it.”

“It is the life blood of the economy in Los Angeles,” Friedman said. “It’s the dream factory. It’s why so many of us came here to Los Angeles for that dream, and we need to fight for it … This credit is not going to George Clooney. It’s not going to the big movie stars. It’s to middle class, hard-working union members.”