Latest news with #FilmLA
Los Angeles Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. entertainment production fell last quarter, even as TV started to pick up
A still from the TV series 'High Potential,' which is filmed in Los Angeles. Hollywood production faced another challenging quarter, as on-location shoot days from April to June decreased 6.2% compared with the same time period last year, according to a new report. The total number of shoot days in the second quarter was 5,394, compared with 5,749 a year ago, according to the nonprofit organization FilmLA, which tracks production in the Greater Los Angeles region. That total is down 32.5% compared with the five-year average. Production of feature films and commercials were significantly lower than last year. Film production decreased 21.4% to 553 shoot days, while commercial shoots decreased 15.3% to 692 days, FilmLA said. Advertisement The one bright spot was television production, which saw an increase of 17% compared with the same time period last year, with 2,224 on-location shoot days. That's the highest total since early 2024, though it is still 32.6% lower than the five-year quarterly average, FilmLA said. Television's sunnier quarter for was helped by production gains for TV dramas (up 9.4%), reality TV (up 29.5%) and pilots (up 364.7%). Production of TV comedies, however, fell 41.5% compared with last year. Shows such as the ABC procedural 'High Potential,' Fox's '9-1-1,' and Netflix's 'Lincoln Lawyer' all shot in the Greater L.A. region during the second quarter. Advertisement The report's 'other' category, which includes photo shoots, documentary production, student films, music and industrial videos and online content, saw a decrease of 17.3% compared with the previous year's quarter. California's entertainment industry recently received a lifeline in the form of an expanded state film and TV tax credit and a revamped program that allows more types of productions to apply for incentives. Recent legislation passed by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom raised the cap for the film and TV tax credit to $750 million, up from $330 million, a move that Hollywood insiders said would increase the number of productions shot in California and potentially stem the tide of so-called runaway production to other states and countries that offer generous incentive packages. Advertisement FilmLA President Paul Audley noted the new legislation in a statement, saying the group was 'eager to meet with and work alongside our union partners, our industry, and our community, finding ways to make production in the Greater Los Angeles area as affordable, accessible, and straightforward as possible.' Last month, the California Film Commission said the latest round of the state's film and television tax credit program will provide government incentives to 48 upcoming movie projects. The slate, which includes both major studio projects and independent films, is expected to employ more than 6,500 cast and crew members and 32,000 background performers, measured in days worked. These projects will pay more than $302 million in wages for California workers.
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
LA Filming Declines 6.2% With Hollywood Movies Shooting Abroad
Movie and TV filming in the Los Angeles area declined 6.2% in the second quarter, an improvement from a 22% slump earlier in the year, but still indicative of the challenges California faces in competing for the business with other states and countries. Television production, the biggest part of the industry, rose 17%, while feature film production was down 21%, the permitting office FilmLA said Tuesday in a statement. TV was buoyed by scripted dramas and reality shows, including Netflix Inc. 's The Lincoln Lawyer and ABC's American Idol. Production of TV commercials, as measured in days of shooting, fell 15%.
Los Angeles Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Hollywood soundstage operators are reeling. Will state tax credits help?
The announcement last month that Occidental Studios would be put up for sale marked a historic turning point in a studio once used by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to make silent films. It also underscored how dramatically the market has shifted for the owners of soundstages across Los Angeles that have been buffeted by a confluence of forces — the pandemic, strikes in 2023 and the continued flight of production to other states and countries. As film activity has fallen to historic levels in the L.A. region — film shoot days dropped 22% in the first quarter of 2025 — the places that host film and TV crews, along with prop houses and other businesses that service the industry, have been especially hard hit. Between 2016 and 2022, Los Angeles' soundstages were nearly filled to capacity, boasting average occupancy rates of 90%, according to data from the nonprofit organization FilmLA, which tracks on-location shoot days in the Greater L.A. area. That rate plummeted to 69% in 2023, as dual writers' and actors' strikes brought the industry to a halt. Once the strikes were over, production never came back to what it was. In fact, last year the average occupancy rate dropped even further to 63%, according to a FilmLA report released in April. So far this year, there is 'no reason to think the occupancy numbers look better,' said Philip Sokoloski, spokesperson for FilmLA. 'It's a trailing indicator of the loss of production,' he said. 'The suddenness of the crash is what caught everybody by surprise.' Studio owners, who have watched their soundstages go from overbooked to frequently empty, are celebrating the new state tax credits meant to boost their industry and create action on their lots. The California Legislature's decision to more than double the amount allocated each year to the state's film and television tax credit program to $750 million could be a tipping point toward better times, studio owners said, but the climb out of the doldrums is still steep. 'This is definitely a defining moment and to see whether or not L.A. is going to get itself back up to the occupancy levels that it had prior to COVID,' said Shep Wainwright, managing partner of East End Studios. 'Everyone's pretty bullish about it, but it's obviously been such a slog for the past few years.' Sean Griffin of Sunset Studios called the tax credit boost signed into law last week 'a massive stride in the right direction' while Zach Sokoloff of independent studio operator Hackman Capital Partners called the decision 'an enormous win for the state.' Sokoloff hopes to see its Southern California facilities, which include Radford Studio Center and Culver Studios, perk up the way their New York properties did when the state increased its film and TV subsidy to $800 million in May. 'We had stages that had been sitting empty, and almost 24 hours after the passage of the tax credit bill in New, York, our phones were ringing,' he said. 'We had renewed interest in soundstage occupancy there.' Los Angeles Center Studios, where such shows as 'Mad Men' and 'Westworld' filmed, also has felt the effects of the production slump. The 26-year-old facility in downtown L.A. has six 18,000-foot soundstages and three smaller stages, along with a number of practical locations on the lot for shooting. Before the pandemic, its stages were 100% full for more than 10 years, said Sam Nicassio, president of Los Angeles Center Studios. He declined to state the studio's current occupancy rate, though he said it was above the average for about 300 soundstages throughout the area, which his company tracked at 58%. 'It's been a struggle,' he said. 'The slowdown in overall production activity, coupled with coming out of the strikes and all of us expecting to have a jump-start again and we didn't, was very difficult. There's a lot of soundstages for not a lot of users right now.' Not long ago, private equity firms saw L.A. studio stages as good business opportunities. A number of firms participated heavily in the construction of new facilities, which seemed like smart bets due to advancements in production technology, the desire of studios and streamers to cut down on unpredictable risk from on-location shoots and — especially after the pandemic — health and safety systems like air filtration and more space to prevent workers from getting sick. 'Stages are critical to being able to do, especially TV, on time and on budget,' said George Huang, a professor of screenwriting at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. 'They are the backbone of making movies in Hollywood.' But after the pandemic, strikes and a cutback in spending at the studios, production slowed. Then in January, the Southern California wildfires hit, further affecting production and causing many in the industry to lose their homes — and reconsider whether they wanted to stay in the Golden State. As Hollywood production slowed, soundstage operators looked for new ways to make up revenue, including shoots for the fashion industry, music videos, DJ rehearsals, video game production and even private events like birthdays or weddings. Hackman Capital Partners, which owns and operates Television City in Los Angeles, recently announced a partnership with Interwoven Studios to open a boutique production facility catering to social media influencers, online media brands and other creators who work in nontraditional formats such as YouTube. Among the well-known creators who have worked lately at Television City — home to such classic shows as 'All in the Family' and most recently 'American Idol' — are Logan Paul and Jake Shane, actress-singer Keke Palmer, livestreamers FaZe Clan and hip-hop artist Big Sean. 'As the segment of the content-creation universe grows on the smaller end of production, we're going to be a partner to them,' Sokoloff said. 'Necessity is the mother of invention.' Sunset Studios, which operates 59 stages in the Los Angeles area, has long made a point of working with short-form creators through its smaller Quixote division, said Griffin, who is head of studio sales. 'We've always been involved with influencers, music videos and commercials.' Such tenants working on smaller stages sometimes move up to TV and movie-sized stages when they land a big television commercial or music video, such as Selena Gomez's 'Younger and Hotter Than Me' music video recently shot at Sunset Las Palmas Studios. Paul McCartney leased a studio at Sunset Glenoaks Studios to rehearse for his 2024 tour and and made a music video there. In general, though, stages are still underused, he said. 'Once the strikes ended, we got a about a good healthy quarter' of production, he said. Then business 'really quieted down, and we haven't seen the show counts rebound very much.' The vacancies have created a tenant-friendly market as studio owners compete for their business on rental prices, Griffin said. 'This is a very tough market,' he said. 'Everyone is competing very, very hard.' One reason for optimism about the new tax credits is that they apply to 30-minute shows for the first time, he said. 'L.A. is a television town,' Griffin added. 'Opening up the tax credit to 30-minute comedies is going to be really helpful.' And there are signs of life for longer scripted shows that take multiple stages and shoot for longer than other productions, Griffin said. Developer David Simon is betting heavily on a turnaround. He is building a new movie studio from the ground up in Hollywood. His $450-million Echelon Studios complex is set to open late next year on Santa Monica Boulevard. 'We think content creation is here to stay in various forms,' he said, and that big soundstages will continue to be used even as the technology to make content changes. Simon said he is close to signing leases with fashion brands that are creating content with celebrities and collaborating with influencers. 'We're not nearly where we were prepandemic,' he acknowledged, but 'California is the entertainment capital of the world, and the producers and directors and actors that want to stay in state will help bring back and retain our fair share of production.' For now , at least, soundstage operators are still 'treading water,' said Peter Marshall, managing principal at Epic Insurance Brokers & Consultants, who works in media insurance and counts some L.A.-based soundstages as clients. 'Most operators are pretty concerned,' he said. Yet, the fact that there are still new soundstages opening and others are in development suggests a 'high level of confidence' that production will eventually return to L.A., Sokoloski of FilmLA said. 'I am optimistic that we will keep more production here than we have in the last few years,' Nicassio said. The new tax credit program 'puts us on a competitive level now with other states and countries.' Others in the industry say that more is needed and have advocated for a federal tax credit that would help make California a morecompetitive location. Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed for the idea, urging President Trump to work with him on the issue. 'When you have a governor and big private equity firms both focusing on promoting one thing, that might, who knows, get the federal government involved,' Marshall said. 'That would be the game changer.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FilmLA 5-Year Contract Approved Amid Worker Complaints
The Los Angeles Board of Public Works approved a new five-year contract with FilmLA on Friday, despite calls from industry groups for changes to the city's film permitting system. The Los Angeles Board of Public Works voted 4-0 to extend FilmLA's contract through June 2030, just days before the current deal was set to expire. Adrin Nazarian, who represents a district that includes North Hollywood, where many IATSE West Coast locals are headquartered, previously spoke about the rapid decline in Los Angeles production as studios have moved shoots to other states and countries amidst pressure to reduce production spending and make their streaming services profitable. 'We've been regressing and losing so much ground,' he stated. 'Now we're losing commercials and platforms and miniseries. We can't have this happen.' While a handful of high-profile productions have moved to California, including NBC's 'Suits L.A.' and the second season of Prime Video's popular 'Fallout,' TV production in Los Angeles has fallen 58% from its all-time high in 2021, according to the latest quarterly report from FilmLA. In response to this, Hollywood unions and studios, who two years ago were in conflict amid an industry-paralyzing double strike, have joined forces to lobby local and state officials to make changes that would allow California to become a more competitive production hub. In Sacramento, a pair of bills that would expand the types of productions eligible for the California Film and Television Tax Credit have been slowly advancing through various committees. The bills have the support of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last fall called for the program's cap to be raised from $330 million to $750 million. Among the fees required of L.A. shoots that are reduced or nonexistent in other cities include county and city fees for fire review and notification, hourly fees for public safety and fire workers and additional fees for shoots that take place on roads, including for permit applications, road inspections and closures. The post FilmLA 5-Year Contract Approved Amid Worker Complaints appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
FilmLA Warns Production Permits May Be Denied Amid ICE Protests
Los Angeles film office FilmLA has advised filmmakers that areas in and around downtown Los Angeles, specifically near City Hall and the nearby federal building, may be off-limits for productions until further notice as protests against immigration raids continue in the area. 'The City of Los Angeles' permit authority, LAPD, asked that FilmLA reassure the industry that requests to film on-location will continue to be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis,' the advisory read. 'In the City of Los Angeles and in other jurisdictions, filming is allowed in all areas except those where protest activity is concentrated.' FilmLA also says that it is unaware of any active productions that have been interrupted by this past weekend's protests, which have been concentrated around the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field office and the adjacent Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, both located on the intersection of Los Angeles and Temple St. a block southeast from City Hall. FilmLA also noted a labor protest being held at City Hall in support of SEIU California president David Huerta, whom the union says was injured and arrested by federal agents while observing the immigration raids. Huerta, a U.S. citizen, was charged with interfering with federal agents and is set to appear in court today, with U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla sending a letter to the Trump Administration demanding answers as to why he was arrested. 'We are unable to give more specific boundaries for affected areas at this time as the situation is fluid. Care for crew safety is important, as is making room for protected free speech,' FilmLA said. While FilmLA has reported a major decline in on-location shooting in Los Angeles County, downtown remains a common shooting location, with shows like '9-1-1' and 'Suits L.A.' among the recent productions to shoot in the area. Movies such as 'L.A. Confidential,' 'Inception' and 'La La Land' are among those who have also shot in downtown. Over the weekend, the Trump Administration launched widespread immigration raids throughout Los Angeles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a Saturday social media post that it had arrested 118 immigrants during operations in the city last week. Community groups have deployed rapid response networks as news of the raids spread to warn of federal officials' presence while protests have been staged outside the USCIS office throughout the weekend. In response to the protests, President Trump called for the deployment of 2,000 members of the California National Guard against the wishes of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who announced that the state would sue the Trump Administration over the deployment. The post FilmLA Warns Production Permits May Be Denied Amid ICE Protests appeared first on TheWrap.
