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NBC News
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Fires, strikes and the pandemic hurt Hollywood production. Now, industry workers are asking for help.
LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of film and television workers packed into a building in Los Angeles' Sun Valley neighborhood on Sunday to rally for renewed investment in Hollywood. The event was part of a grassroots movement pushing for studios to bring production back to Los Angeles after the city suffered a series of setbacks in recent years, including devastating wildfires, Hollywood labor strikes and the lasting ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic. From actors to production assistants to makeup artists and prop makers, at least 1,000 people showed up to the 'Stay in LA' campaign's first public rally to cheer on efforts to expand film and TV tax credits and make filming in Los Angeles more affordable. At SirReel Studios, an equipment rental agency for film and TV productions, a mix of industry workers and local politicians took the stage as they called for further support from state lawmakers. 'People are struggling. Rents went up, groceries went up. But the only thing that's not going up are the jobs, the paychecks. The jobs that people are looking for … They're gone,' Alex Aguilar Jr., principal officer of LiUNA Local 724, said before the crowd. 'We get calls every day from people being out of work: 'How can I pay my rent? I don't have any benefits for my wife, for my kids.'' Wes Bailey, owner of SirReel Studios, volunteered his building as a venue for the rally at no cost. Bailey said his company suffered a drastic revenue drop over the past two years that forced him to cut several jobs, and he noted that he's struggled 'just to keep the lights on, to keep people employed.' Momentum was slow when the Stay in LA movement formed in August last year, he said, but the catastrophic fires in January instilled a new 'sense of urgency' in bringing production back. At Sunday's rally, local and state-level elected officials made up nearly half of the speakers listed. 'The dirty little secret is that none of those people were going to be here until 1,500 people signed the RSVP, so I'm encouraged,' Bailey told NBC News. 'I've had conversations today [with lawmakers] that I couldn't get to answer my call. I don't think that it's that they didn't care. I just think that they wanted to see where the momentum is, and we have the momentum.' Sound stages in the greater Los Angeles area were on average around 90% full from 2016 to 2022, according to a study published Thursday by FilmLA, a nonprofit that coordinates film permits and supports on-location production in the region. But industry strikes made that number drop to 69% in 2023, and by 2024, occupancy levels fell even further to 63%. Costumer and IATSE union member Shirletha Jordan, who attended Sunday's rally, said that prior to the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, work was coming in so reliably that she often had to turn down jobs. But the lack of work for actors and writers in the past two years translated to less work for costumers as well. Now, Jordan said, she might go months without a gig. 'It's an emotional rollercoaster,' she said. 'My position right now is I don't have any work. What do I do? Do I go try and get another job, because I do have two degrees? But I believe in this work so much, and I'm first-generation Hollywood … I don't want to move back home [to Atlanta]. I made my way here to live in California.' Recent legislative efforts have tried to draw production back to Hollywood through a renewed focus on competing with higher or more accessible tax incentives offered by other states. State lawmakers this year proposed increasing the California Film & TV Tax Credit Program to cover 35% of qualified expenses for projects shot in the Los Angeles region, up from the current credit of 20% to 25%. That came after Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal last year to dramatically increase the amount of money allocated to the tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million. In one win for Hollywood filmmakers, the California Film Commission last month approved a record 51 film projects for tax incentives, the largest round of awards in state history. As industry leaders say they plan to continue the fight in Sacramento, Stay In LA has also been working with the L.A. City Council on municipal legislation to reduce certain regulations, permitting requirements and fees in an attempt to remove barriers for production companies. 'We're not asking for a handout. We're asking for the chance to work,' L.A. City Council member Nithya Raman said onstage Sunday. 'We want to work in L.A. We want to live in L.A. We want to raise our families in L.A.'
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stay In L.A. Rally In Sun Valley Attracts Hundreds In Support Of Tax Incentives: 'We're Not Asking For A Handout, We Are Asking For The Chance To Work'
Hollywood workers threw themselves a pep rally on Sunday in hopes that their grassroots campaigning — not to mention their ability to lure hundreds of people into a hot warehouse in balmy Sun Valley — will be enough to keep production in Los Angeles. SirReel Studios on Lankershim Boulevard lent its large, production rentals property for the 2 p.m. rally, which featured food trucks and Stay in L.A. merch while local, state and national politicians — along with a few actors and writers — spoke about how their hometown has become a ghost town when it comes to film and TV production. More from Deadline L.A. Might Have Found A Local Solution To Stop Movies Being Made In Other States California Lawmakers Call On Experts To Help Weigh Newsom's Expanded Film & TV Tax Credit Proposal: 'A Serious Fiscal Matter' WGA Ratifies New 3-Year Contract With CBS News, Securing Key AI Protections The goal, of course, is to show support for Governor Newsom's proposed $750 million tax incentive plan, as detailed in recently introduced legislation AB 1138 and SB 630 which aims to stop the bleeding and keep studios from seeking cheaper locales to make their shows and films. But Newsom's proposal may not be a slam dunk, suggests LA. City Councilwoman Nithya Raman (District 4). 'I want to tell you, a lot of people are against the tax credit because they think Hollywood is full of rich people,' Raman told the crowd. 'It's a middle class industry of costumers, set decorators, drivers, camera operators, hair dressers and caterers. It's all of us, and to think this is a hand-out for rich people is patently false. We're not asking for a hand-out. We are asking for the chance to work. We want to work in L.A., we want to live in L.A., we want to raise our families in L.A.' L.A. City Councilwoman Imelda Padilla (District 6) called out her elected colleagues for not helping with the cause. 'Only 4 of the 15 councilmembers are talking about it,' she said. 'For everyone who lives in L.A., I highly encourage you to call all council members. The minimum you need is eight to get anything done. Make sure it's a priority. No one is going to say [they oppose] keeping jobs in Los Angeles, that I can assure you. Everyone wants a piece of this pie to help make this happen. Call every councilmember.' Director Adam Bhala Lough (Deepfaking Sam Altman) floated a provocative argument by saying 'there should be no cap on incentives' and that California should consider investing in the industry. 'This debate over caps is a distraction. It's the state's way of fighting over crumbs,' he said to the crowd. 'California is missing an opportunity to take bold action, to make a direct investment. The U.K., France and Canada invest cash in the industry. They take an equity stake. They profit when films succeed. California has a $3.9 trillion GDP, but it sticks with soft money tax credits and wonders why productions are leaving. We need to think bigger. I propose California becomes a financier or a co- financier by covering 50 percent or 100 percent on [everything from] micro-indies to blockbusters.' A recent report from Film in L.A. certainly drove home the point that the situation couldn't be more dire. Per the report, regional studios consistently had around 90% average occupancy from 2016 through 2022, before tanking to 69% average occupancy in 2023. In 2024, the average occupancy weakened even further to 63%. At its highest, in Q2 of 2024, occupancy was at 67%. Episodic television has been hit particularly hard by the production contraction, accounting for just 20% of all production happening on certified stages and backlots in 2023. In past years, episodic television consistently comprised around 30% of all stage-based filming in L.A. 'There is no place like home, am I right? We have to start meeting like this,' SAG-AFTRA's Joely Fisher shouted to the crowd. 'I feel a little nostalgic when we were marching and we fought corporate greed. They call us unserious and unreasonable people. Where are my unserious and unreasonable people at?' 'The nation, the world is at a crossroad. It's an existential crisis,' Fisher continued. 'We need to usher in a golden age and it starts with California.' Best of Deadline '1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stay In LA To Hold Sun Valley Rally In April
Since its launch earlier this year, Stay In LA, the campaign designed to encourage more production to return to the city following the devastating wildfires, has hit over 22,000 signatures to petition. The group behind the campaign is now launching their first live event, a rally in Sun Valley. More from Deadline Andy Garcia, Jonathan Nolan & Paul Feig Join Stay In LA As Campaign Continues To Build Momentum Keanu Reeves & Bette Midler Join Stay In LA Campaign As 15,000+ Call For Local Production Boost Stay In LA: 6,000+ Including LeVar Burton & Alison Brie Sign Petition Calling For More Incentives To Bring Back Production After Wildfires The event will take place at SirReel Studios at 8500 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley, CA between 2pm and 6pm with organizers expecting 'hundreds' of people to attend. The rally will feature speeches from industry leaders, union representatives, and community members, with a full list expected next week, along with opportunities for attendees to learn how they can support the movement. 'Los Angeles is at a crossroads,' said Pamala Buzick Kim, CA United Board Chairperson and Stay in LA co-founder, 'If we don't act now, we risk losing the very industry that built this city's reputation. This rally is about sending a clear message: We're staying in LA, and we need real solutions to keep our jobs here.' This comes after the likes of Keanu Reeves and Bette Midler publicly supported the cause. The campaign was launched by the Buzick Kim as well as Channel Zero writer Alexandra Pechman, Lessons In Chemistry director Sarah Adina Smith, Wes Bailey, Marie Dunaway, Nick Antosca, Julie Plec, Michael Sucsy, and Alex Winter. The group has proposed uncapping the tax incentive for productions that shoot in LA County for the next three years as part of the overall disaster relief effort as well as calling on the studios and streamers to pledge at least 10% more production in LA over the next three years. They want to uncap mediums to also bolster short-form productions such as commercials as well as post-production work, want to reduce or eliminate permit fees to lower the cost of production and address insurance restrictions. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery How To Watch 'Wicked: Part One': Is The Film Streaming Yet? All The Songs In 'Severance' Season 2: From The Who To Ella Fitzgerald
