Latest news with #StayinLA
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Who's Going to Halt Hollywood's Production Exodus — and How?
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways President Donald Trump's sudden announcement on Sunday that he intends to impose a '100 percent tariff' on movies produced abroad jolted advocates who have been working for months to return more film and television production to California. Between the Stay in LA coalition, the Hollywood guilds, the state legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, production insiders thought they knew the players and what their positions were. But, as the White House and Trump ambassador Jon Voight took a stab at offering up a plan, studio chiefs are mostly staying silent (publicly) while union leaders' considered statements have signaled guilds are keeping their options open. More from The Hollywood Reporter There's general skepticism that the tariff will actually be implemented and raised eyebrows about Trump's motives, as many of these industry types express caution and say they're waiting for details on the policy. A group of film studio executives are expected to speak with Motion Pictures Association chair-CEO Charles Rivkin on May 9 to discuss the White House idea. But some, who point out how California has bled production work in recent years, say that any fresh ideas or attention drawn to the issue could be helpful. 'We have been in this race with film and television tax credits for many decades at this point, and it just doesn't seem to be enough,' Teamsters motion picture division director Lindsay Dougherty tells The Hollywood Reporter. The union leader put out a celebratory statement with the Teamsters' general president about the tariff idea on Monday. 'We're all just trying to work together to figure out what to solve is here, because we have been dealing with this issue since the 1990s in California, and it's a losing battle at this point.' Before Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, organizations had spent months on a multi-pronged effort to lure film and TV production back to Hollywood. A coalition has been lobbying Sacramento in order to pass Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed film and television tax incentives increase as well as associated bills, while at a federal level, Sen. Adam Schiff has been working with industry stakeholders to bring forward a potential federal film incentive. In March, the California Film Commission revealed a record 51 films will receive tax credits to shoot in the state, estimating that the projects will pay about $347 million in wages and generate $578 million in economic activity. Local politicians in Los Angeles recognized that something needed to be done in the short term as well, and the L.A. City Council unanimously passed a measure on April 29 to research potential discounts or fee waivers for public property shoots, streamlined film permitting structures and more. For weeks, unions and studios were meeting with Heat and Midnight Cowboy actor Jon Voight, one of Trump's reps to the business assigned to make Hollywood 'BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE,' as the president posted on Truth Social in January. Through his conversations, Voight and his team put together a wide-ranging package of proposals calling for federal tax incentives, tax code changes, co-production treaties, tariffs in certain circumstances and other ideas. The stakes are stark. Shoots for scripted television shows in Los Angeles had declined 30 percent compared to the same quarter last year, while feature movies saw a 29 percent drop versus the first quarter of 2024, per permitting office FilmLA. At an April 14 event in Burbank organized to advocate for postproduction and music incentives, Noelle Stehman, a member of the Stay in LA campaign, added: 'This is not hyperbole to say that if we don't act, the California film and TV industry will become the next Detroit auto.' Those references to Detroit's automotive industry struck a national chord and reverberated through headlines over the month ahead of the White House's missive. Trump's post on Sunday made mention only of a '100% tariff,' prompting concerns about potential retaliation from nations that would be negatively affected by any kind of financial penalty. In a statement, IATSE international president Matthew Loeb expressed fear for the impacts that this policy could have on the union's tens of thousands of Canadian members. 'We continue to stand firm in our conviction that any eventual trade policy must do no harm to our Canadian members — nor the industry overall.' The union seeks 'reciprocal trade practices,' he added. Director Adam Bhala Lough (Telemarketers), who has been vocal about his wish to bring more production to California, writes in an email that 'slapping a blanket tariff on movies produced outside the United States would raise costs for studios and independents alike, invite retaliation that could hurt our overseas box office, and ultimately make it harder for California filmmakers to get projects made.' He instead advocates for direct investment in the industry. California represents the largest film and TV hub in the U.S., with an estimated $6.34 billion in trailing 12-month spending, as compared to New York ($4.07 billion), Georgia ($2.23 billion), New Mexico ($805 million), Illinois ($725 million) and New Jersey ($536 million), per a new report from industry tracker ProdPro. A federal tax incentive like the one Schiff is working on remains the favored approach for many advocates in the space. Having a federal tax incentive would be 'much more impactful' than tariffs would be for job creation, says unscripted producer Patrick Caligiuri, whose videos about the state of the entertainment business have become cathartic must-watches for struggling industry workers. 'It's the old adage, you win more with sugar than you do with vinegar.' Alexandra Pechman, one of the co-founders of the grassroots group Stay in LA, says the grassroots group remains focused on passing Newsom's budget proposal and is excited about the governor's offer to Trump on Monday to collaborate on a $7.5 billion federal tax credit. 'We believe that better incentives are the ways to bring jobs back,' she says. But many industry unions, weary of telling their members bad news for years about the state of the business, signaled receptivity to the notion after Trump fired off his tariff tweet on Sunday. Though he was concerned about his Canadian members, Loeb said Trump was right to note that Hollywood faces an 'urgent threat,' while SAG-AFTRA's national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the union backed efforts to increase U.S. film and television production. Most effusive were the Teamsters, who said called it a 'strong step' toward 'reining in the studios' un-American addiction to outsourcing our members' work.' But when reached for their thoughts, filmmakers and rank-and-file workers diverged in their views on the idea. One indie filmmaker who has made multiple projects overseas was somewhat amenable to the idea tariffs, noting he is growing frustrated with the inability to film at home in Los Angeles. 'At least he's trying something,' he says of Trump, though he acknowledges it's not a thought-through idea. One film illustrator was also curious about the idea of tariffs generally, saying they made sense to him. 'If [companies] are shooting in another country, why do they then get to bring their product back here and not pay an extra duty on it while they're displacing American workers?' he says. But he doesn't trust Trump to be the one to carry that through. 'We just went through two years of bullshit and now we're going to sit there and play footsies with this guy? That's insane,' he says. CREW, a caucus of rank-and-file workers within IATSE, says in a joint statement with the Production Assistants United movement they have 'no expectation' that the Trump administration would figure out a film tariff policy or keep it in place long enough to benefit the industry. The coalition did say, however, that it supports federal policies like Newsom's tax credit idea, which would be 'a good short term expedient to combat the historic job loss we're currently facing.' And one director behind a mid-budget action feature is carrying on with a scheduled trip this week scout overseas, surmising the tariffs will either not take effect, or will be done away with by the time his movie arrives in theaters. Aaron Couch contributed to this story. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Gizmodo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Trump Says He Wants His Movie Tariffs to Help Hollywood, Not Hurt It
After delivering his solution to bring more jobs back to the film industry stateside by implementing tariffs on international film production, President Trump attempted to clarify his intentions at a White House briefing. CNBC reports that Trump will talk to the studios about his idea to impose 100% tariffs on films made outside the United States with the aim to make sure 'they're happy' with the haphazardly conceived and confused notions about how the film industry could align with his presidential plans. 'I'm not looking to hurt the industry, I want to help the industry,' he told reporters. Incidentally plans for keeping the film industry at large here were already in the works. Post Los Angeles wildfires, which halted the film industry for the first quarter of the year, California Governor Gavin Newsom and organizations like Stay in LA were already proposing solutions to keep productions in America—particularly the state of California, the home of Hollywood movie making, in response to relief efforts and to keep people able to live in the state. In Trump's clarified statements reported by CNBC, he attempted to call out Newsom with the claims that the industry 'has been decimated by other countries taking them out, and also by incompetence, like in Los Angeles, the governor [Gavin Newsom] is a grossly incompetent man, he's just allowed it to be taken away from.' The politician's representation re-iterated Newsom's already in the works plans and how Trump's sudden support could be reigned in for the industry that kept Trump relevant beyond what anyone could imagine. '[Newsom's] plan to more than double the state's film and television tax credit reflects a commitment to keeping production here at home, supporting workers and maintaining California's global leadership in entertainment,' the spokesperson added that. 'If the President announces a proposal with more details, we will review it.' Currently organizations such as Stay in LA are rallying support for streamlining film permits and expanding CA Film and TV tax credits through California legislation. Big films could benefit from shooting in Los Angeles as well as other productions that also tend to shoot in Atlanta, among other metropolitan cities where the film industry aims to thrive. The significance of this fast-track to install these tariffs has Hollywood's SAG-AFTRA representative Duncan Crabtree-Ireland ready to work with the administration to make sure that American film industry folks can immediately benefit from this. 'SAG-AFTRA supports efforts to increase movie, television and streaming production in the United States. We will continue to advocate for policies that strengthen our competitive position, accelerate economic growth and create good middle class jobs for American workers,' he said in a statement shared by Variety. 'We look forward to learning more about the specifics of the plan announced by the President and to advancing a dialogue to achieve our common goals.' The President's representatives followed up the veracity of Trump's claims by confirming, as reported by CNBC, that they're 'exploring all options,' but of course despite the strongly worded tirade, to tariff as much as the President thinks he can will be subject to examination. 'Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive to safeguard our country's national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,' spokesman Kush Desai shared on behalf of the White House, according to CNBC.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight are Trump's ambassadors to Hollywood. No one knows what they are doing
At the start of the year, President Donald Trump appointed three 'special ambassadors' to Hollywood: Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight. As the 100th day of the presidency approaches, it remains unclear exactly what they've been up to, according to the Los Angeles Times. Trump said the three actors, all vocal supporters of the president, would be his 'eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest.' He added that Hollywood had 'lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries,' but that his three ambassadors would be part of the effort to bring it 'back — bigger, better, and stronger than ever before!' Pamela Buzick Kim is the co-founder of Stay in LA, a campaigning organization that works to boost local film and TV production. 'We have reached out to all three and never heard back,' she told the LA Times. She added that the radio silence has prompted concerns that the ambassadors are 'just a bumper sticker.' 'Are they going to actually understand what the needs and issues are and fight for the industry as a whole here in the States?' she added. A California Film Commission spokesperson told the paper that its executive director, Colleen Bell, had a 'productive' discussion with Voight - but didn't share additional information. A person connected to the entertainment business task force formed by LA Mayor Karen Bass last year told the LA Times that they didn't know of any discussions with the envoys. Democratic Rep. Laura Friedman, a former film producer, told the outlet: 'I haven't heard of anyone having any outreach from anyone from that group.' 'It doesn't seem like a serious effort to me,' she added. The U.S. film and TV industry has struggled to rebound from the pandemic, labor strikes, and the recent wildfires. Significant incentives have also prompted productions to move out of California to states like Georgia and New Mexico, as well as countries such as Australia, the U.K., and Canada. The nonprofit FilmLA released a report this month showing that in the first quarter of 2025, on-location production decreased 22.4 percent compared to last year. Buzick Kim told the LA Times that when Stallone, Gibson, and Voight were announced as ambassadors, 'I think we were all curious about what those three think and what they think is the issue. Because I don't know if any of them have a history of speaking out on this front.' Gibson told the paper in a statement that he was 'surprised' to get the nod. 'I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can,' he said. After Voight was appointed, his business partner, Steven Paul, a film producer and chair of the SP Media Group, said in a press release that he had been named Voight's 'special advisor.' 'We will be working within the industry to find ways to bring runaway productions back to America while working with the government to explore a potential federal tax incentive tied to a pro-American cultural standard, among other initiatives that support independent American productions,' the release said. The statement indicated that Voight, Paul, and Trump had a conversation in February about an 'America First' film production initiative.
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight are Trump's ambassadors to Hollywood. No one knows what they are doing
At the start of the year, President Donald Trump appointed three 'special ambassadors' to Hollywood: Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight. As the 100th day of the presidency approaches, it remains unclear exactly what they've been up to, according to the Los Angeles Times. his 'eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest.' He added that Hollywood had 'lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries,' but that his three ambassadors would be part of the effort to bring it 'back — bigger, better, and stronger than ever before!' Pamela Buzick Kim is the co-founder of Stay in LA, a campaigning organization that works to boost local film and TV production. 'We have reached out to all three and never heard back,' she told the LA Times. She added that the radio silence has prompted concerns that the ambassadors are 'just a bumper sticker.' 'Are they going to actually understand what the needs and issues are and fight for the industry as a whole here in the States?' she added. A California Film Commission spokesperson told the paper that its executive director, Colleen Bell, had a 'productive' discussion with Voight - but didn't share additional information. A person connected to the entertainment business task force formed by LA Mayor Karen Bass last year told the LA Times that they didn't know of any discussions with the envoys. Democratic Rep. Laura Friedman, a former film producer, told the outlet: 'I haven't heard of anyone having any outreach from anyone from that group.' 'It doesn't seem like a serious effort to me,' she added. The U.S. film and TV industry has struggled to rebound from the pandemic, labor strikes, and the recent wildfires. Significant incentives have also prompted productions to move out of California to states like Georgia and New Mexico, as well as countries such as Australia, the U.K., and Canada. The nonprofit FilmLA released a report this month showing that in the first quarter of 2025, on-location production decreased 22.4 percent compared to last year. Buzick Kim told the LA Times that when Stallone, Gibson, and Voight were announced as ambassadors, 'I think we were all curious about what those three think and what they think is the issue. Because I don't know if any of them have a history of speaking out on this front.' Gibson told the paper in a statement that he was 'surprised' to get the nod. 'I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can,' he said. After Voight was appointed, his business partner, Steven Paul, a film producer and chair of the SP Media Group, said in a press release that he had been named Voight's 'special advisor.' 'We will be working within the industry to find ways to bring runaway productions back to America while working with the government to explore a potential federal tax incentive tied to a pro-American cultural standard, among other initiatives that support independent American productions,' the release said. The statement indicated that Voight, Paul, and Trump had a conversation in February about an 'America First' film production initiative.
Los Angeles Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Trump named Gibson, Stallone and Voight as ‘special ambassadors.' Hollywood is still waiting for a call
Just days before beginning his second term as president, Donald Trump called Hollywood 'a great but very troubled place.' Then, with his usual aplomb and bombast, he named Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson to be his 'special ambassadors.' The actors would be his 'eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest,' he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Hollywood had 'lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries,' said Trump, and his trio of envoys will help bring it 'back — bigger, better, and stronger than ever before!' Four months later, many of those who work in Hollywood — industry players and officials who have been actively engaged in efforts to boost production — say as far as Trump's envoys are concerned, it has been mostly 'crickets.' While the administration has taken a protectionist stance on American manufacturing and business, implementing a slew of global tariffs, it has not made any further announcements regarding the Hollywood envoys, their roles, goals or priorities to revitalize the struggling entertainment industry here. The ambassadors themselves have, for the most part, kept a low profile. 'We have reached out to all three and never heard back,' said Pamala Buzick Kim, co-founder of Stay in LA, a grassroots campaign aimed at spurring local film and TV production. She said the lack of communication has left many wondering whether Trump's envoys are 'just a bumper sticker, or are they going to, actually understand what the needs and issues, are and fight for the industry as a whole here in the States?' A spokesperson for the California Film Commission said its executive director, Colleen Bell, had a 'productive' conversation with Voight, but did not elaborate on their discussion. An individual involved with Mayor Karen Bass' entertainment business task force formed last year, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said they were unaware of any contact with the envoys. Others, including the Motion Picture Assn., which represents the major media companies and streamers, declined to comment on whether they have had any interaction with Trump's ambassadors. 'I haven't heard of anyone having any outreach from anyone from that group,' said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), a former film producer and a longtime advocate for the entertainment industry. Friedman announced a new push to bolster production earlier this month with members of various Hollywood unions and 10 other members of Congress. 'It doesn't seem like a serious effort to me,' she said. The White House declined to comment. Trump's announcement did put a national spotlight on the homegrown film industry, which continues to struggle to rebound following a trifecta of hits: the pandemic, labor strikes and more recently, the wildfires. More problematic, California has lost its competitive edge as film crews continue to be enticed by generous incentives — leading to an exodus of productions to hubs like Georgia and New Mexico and countries including Australia, Britain and Canada. While Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed raising the amount of money allocated annually to California's film and TV tax credit program to $750 million from $330 million, the state legislature has yet to approve the measure and the industry remains under pressure. In the first quarter of this year, on-location production dropped 22.4% compared to the same period last year, according to a report released in April by the nonprofit organization FilmLA, which tracks shoot days in the Greater Los Angeles region. 'I think part of the problem with California is they came to take this industry for granted a little bit,' Ben Affleck told the Associated Press in an interview last week while promoting his latest film, 'The Accountant 2,' in Los Angeles. Within the industry, the surprise appointment of the three actors as the president's special emissaries was received with a mixture of shock, bemusement and eye rolls. 'When they were announced, I think we were all curious about what those three think and what they think is the issue,' said Buzick Kim. 'Because I don't know if any of them have a history of speaking out on this front.' Indeed, it appears that no one was more taken aback by the appointment than the actors themselves. 'I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can,' said Gibson in a statement. 'Any chance the position comes with an Ambassador's residence?' he quipped, in reference to the loss of his Malibu properties in the wildfires. Neither Stallone nor Voight has commented publicly. Representatives for the actors did not respond to requests for comment. Following his appointment as ambassador, Voight's longtime business partner Steven Paul, an independent film producer and chairman/chief executive of SP Media Group, issued a press release saying that the actor had tapped him as a 'special advisor.' Along with Voight's fellow ambassadors, 'we will be working within the industry to find ways to bring runaway productions back to America while working with the government to explore a potential federal tax incentive tied to a pro-American cultural standard, among other initiatives that support independent American productions,' the statement said. Voight, Paul and Trump had discussed a new 'America First' initiative pertaining to film production over dinner in February, according to the statement. A representative for Paul said he was not immediately available for comment. All three Hollywood emissaries have been avid supporters of the president: Voight attended events at both inaugurations, Stallone has visited Mar-a-Lago and Gibson, who has a history of making racist and antisemitic remarks (for which he later apologized), ridiculed Kamala Harris during the election, saying she had 'the IQ of a fence post.' They all generated celebrity wattage during the 1980s (said to be Trump's favorite decade) — Voight was nominated for an Oscar for 'Runaway Train.' It was an era when mainstream action films rose to prominence in popular culture (think Stallone's 'Rambo' and Gibson's 'Lethal Weapon' franchises) that promoted the idea of American strength and masculinity. None has been known to be particularly involved in the nuts and bolts of Hollywood production issues of tax incentives and permits. For the past three years, Stallone has starred in the Taylor Sheridan drama 'Tulsa King,' about a New York mobster who sets up shop in Oklahoma after his release from prison. Incidentally, the Paramount+ series was originally called 'Kansas City Mob' and was set to film in Missouri, until it received a more than $14 million rebate to shoot episodes of the first season in Oklahoma City. Although Trump's announcement has largely been met with skepticism in liberal Hollywood, many see this as an opportunity to bring needed attention to an important American industry. 'I don't know if any one of those three can move the needle but the fact that it's being discussed at the federal level is a positive,' said Gregg Bilson, whose Sunland-based ISS Props has served the industry for three generations. Bilson is a member of the California Production Coalition, a group that voices the concerns of the small businesses serving the film and TV industry. While few believe the actors will roll up their sleeves on the issues — at least so far — their appointment has renewed interest in the idea of implementing federal tax credits. 'If Trump is willing to fight for all these other industries with tariffs, what's he doing for us? What's he doing to ensure that our jobs are protected here in the United States?' asked Rachel Cannon, an actress who starred on 'Fresh Off the Boat. ' She later moved back to Oklahoma City, where she founded Prairie Surf Studios and more recently Rock Paper Cannon, a venture to bring television production to Oklahoma. Cannon, a production advocate who helped recruit 'Tulsa King' and the film 'Twisters' to Oklahoma, sees a federal incentive as a path to making the American film industry more competitive with nations whose generous rebates have shifted the axis of power away from Hollywood to the U.K., Canada and other countries. 'I think what we really need to be doing is banding together and asking for a federal rebate program that can stack, because that can help subsidize these productions to stay in America. States can only offer so much that you need to have some federal support,' she said. Friedman, who has long supported the idea of a federal film tax credit, agrees. 'L.A. still has to be that dream factory, that place where people go to make it in the movies or TV. That's incredibly important to our local economy,' she said. 'But we also have to recognize that we are losing not just to other states, but we're losing to other nations. And we have to do something about that.' For now, everyone is waiting to see if Trump and his chosen trio. 'I don't know how much Trump has really drilled into the desire for that program that he said he wants to keep Hollywood here at home,' Cannon said. 'I just want to make sure there's a policy that follows up to ensure that it happens because, throwing out a press release with nothing behind it — it's not going to help us.' Washington bureau chief Michael Wilner contributed to this report
