LA Film and TV Production Faces Sharp Decline as Industry Scrambles for Stability
FilmLA, the official film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and surrounding jurisdictions, has released a sobering update on the state of film and television production in the region—and the numbers reflect a rapidly shifting industry under pressure.
From January through March 2025, on-location filming in Greater Los Angeles dropped by 22.4%, totaling just 5,295 shoot days, according to FilmLA’s quarterly report. This marks a continued downturn as the city faces rising global competition, production pullbacks, and a shrinking pool of job opportunities for local entertainment workers.
TV and Film See Sharpest Declines
While commercial production nearly held steady with only a 2.1% dip (796 shoot days), television and feature film work plummeted. TV production fell a staggering 30.5% (1,670 shoot days), while feature films declined by 28.9% (451 shoot days), a clear sign that the regional industry is struggling to maintain momentum in the face of broader economic and policy shifts.
“Television production was once the beating heart of the L.A. film economy,” said FilmLA’s VP of Integrated Communications Philip Sokoloski. “But since peaking in 2021, the volume has fallen over 58%, leaving tens of thousands of local workers feeling the ripple effects.”
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
Although wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena briefly disrupted productions—temporarily shutting down filming at over 500 locations—their long-term impact was relatively minimal. Still, the emotional and economic cost to residents and displaced film crews has been significant.
“While the production loss itself is measurable, it doesn’t compare to the personal devastation from the Eaton and Palisades fires,” Sokoloski said.
Half-Hour Comedies and Reality TV Hit Hard
The breakdown of TV production paints a grim picture across formats.
TV Dramas fell 38.9% to 440 shoot days
TV Comedies dropped 29.9% to 110 shoot days
Reality TV, once a safety net during past strikes, fell 26.4% to 969 shoot days
Notably, many half-hour comedies remain ineligible for California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program, making them prime targets for states with more aggressive incentives. Reality TV, which sustained much of the industry during the 2023 strikes, is now entering its own period of decline.
A Call to Expand California’s Incentive Program
With the state losing projects to Georgia, New York, Canada, and the U.K., stakeholders are calling for bold action. FilmLA and other industry advocates are urging lawmakers to expand the state’s film incentive program to $750 million annually, making California more competitive on the global stage. Legislation such as SB 630 (Allen) and AB 1138 (Zbur/Bryan) proposes key reforms to keep more productions — and jobs — in California.
FilmLA President Paul Audley testified in Sacramento earlier this year, emphasizing the high stakes: “Filming isn’t just culture—it’s commerce. Every location shoot generates an estimated $670,000 in local economic activity and supports 1,500 jobs a day.”
What’s at Stake
With 10,500 entertainment-related businesses in California relying on a thriving production industry, the stakes are high for everyone from actors and crew members to local vendors and small businesses. Without aggressive support and strategic investment, Los Angeles may continue to see its once-dominant industry fade further into the background.
As the industry reckons with this new reality, the message is clear: Without competitive policy changes and a commitment to local production, the entertainment capital risks losing its crown.
