Introduction to the Issue
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday, April 29, unanimously approved a motion that aims to reverse a sharp decline in film and television production across the city by cutting the red tape that makes it harder for productions to stay in town.
Supporters said the motion, introduced by Councilmember Adrin Nazarian and seconded by Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Nithya Raman, was not just about keeping blockbuster films in L.A., but about protecting workers–ranging from costume designers to carpenters–who depend on local shoots. Productions have increasingly moved to other states and countries in recent years, lured by lower costs and fewer bureaucratic hurdles.
The Current State of Film Production in L.A.
The City Council chamber was packed with about 50 crew workers, union members and advocacy groups who held signs reading, “Support our entertainment industry laborers.” Many cheered and applauded when the motion passed. After the vote, the groups gathered on the steps outside City Hall for a rally, calling for action to stop the loss of local production jobs.
Councilmember Adrin Nazarian speaks with film industry representatives behind him during a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall after the Los Angeles City Council voted on a motion to keep more film and television production in L.A by adjusting fees, streamlining the permitting process, and removing other regulatory obstacles to filming in L.A. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez speaks during a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall after the Los Angeles City Council voted on a motion to keep more film and television production in L.A by adjusting fees, streamlining the permitting process, and removing other regulatory obstacles to filming in L.A. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Film industry members hold signs during a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall after the Los Angeles City Council voted on a motion to keep more film and television production in L.A by adjusting fees, streamlining the permitting process, and removing other regulatory obstacles to filming in L.A. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown speaks during a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall after the Los Angeles City Council voted on a motion to keep more film and television production in L.A by adjusting fees, streamlining the permitting process, and removing other regulatory obstacles to filming in L.A. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Los Angeles City Council members and members of the film industry take a group photo during a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall after the City Council voted on a motion to keep more film and television production in L.A by adjusting fees, streamlining the permitting process, and removing other regulatory obstacles to filming in L.A. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Reasons Behind the Decline
Among those who spoke was Marie Dunaway, a Los Angeles freelance producer who has produced commercials, music videos and other projects. She said the industry’s struggle stems not just from rising costs, but also from a permitting process that has become slow and burdensome.
“We are suffocating from Los Angeles’ rigidity, slowness, endless staffing mandates, special talent requirements, and most of all, costs,” she said. “Other states are saying ‘yes,’ and rolling out red carpet. We are only rolling out red tape.”
Proposed Solutions
The motion directs city staff to return within 30 days with a series of recommendations to make the city’s filming process faster, cheaper and more competitive with rival areas.
Among the proposed changes are reducing filming fees, streamlining the permitting process, reducing security requirements for location shooting, offering discounted or waived fees for city-owned property use, and investigating inflated costs for crew parking and staging areas.
“Simply put, this is about protecting middle-class workers, and also the very industry that established Los Angeles on the world map and made us into the filming hub of the world,” Councilmember Nazarian said.
The Impact on the Industry
In recent years, the City of Angels has seen a steady decline in on-location filming as studios increasingly opt for cities including New York, Atlanta, Vancouver and Toronto, drawn by faster permitting timelines and generous tax incentives.
The downturn comes after years of disruption to the industry, including the pandemic, a strike by writers, a strike by actors, layoffs, and growing uncertainty over artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs and storytelling.
Between January and March this year, shoot days in Los Angeles dropped more than 22% compared to the same period last year, according to FilmLA, the official film office for both the city and county. Television production–widely seen as the backbone of the local industry–has been hit especially hard, falling nearly 60% since its 2021 peak.
Although Los Angeles experienced devastating wildfires in January, FilmLA said the wildfires had “only a small effect” on production levels.
Expert Insights
“Our industry has lost more than a third of its work in the last half decade,” said Paul Audley, president of FilmLA. “We have 120 other jurisdictions offering money to take the film industry all over the world and all over the country, and California simply has not been competing with that.”
He pointed to global decline in production and fierce competition from Europe, Canada and other U.S. states offering generous financial incentives that California has struggled to match.
“Most of our major studios film all their feature production in Britain now because of the amount of money they’re offered,” Audley said. “A lot of our scoring is now done in Eastern Europe instead of here in L.A. … L.A. really is suffering right now.”
Community Support
In neighborhoods where film crews are part of daily life, some community leaders are backing the city’s push to keep production local.
“We are smack dab in the center of all the studios, Warner Brothers Studios, NBC Universal,” said Tess Taylor, president of the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council. “There’s so much history here, there’s so much talent here, and this is where the world comes. The world beats a path to Hollywood’s door, and we want to keep it that way.”
Conclusion
The Los Angeles City Council’s motion to cut fees and ease rules for film productions is a step in the right direction to keep the industry local. With the proposed changes, the city hopes to make the filming process faster, cheaper, and more competitive with rival areas. The fate of the motion and its potential impact on the industry remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – the city is taking action to protect its entertainment industry and the workers who depend on it.
FAQs
Q: What is the main goal of the Los Angeles City Council’s motion?
A: The main goal is to reverse the decline in film and television production in Los Angeles by cutting red tape and making the city more competitive with rival areas.
Q: What are some of the proposed changes to achieve this goal?
A: The proposed changes include reducing filming fees, streamlining the permitting process, reducing security requirements for location shooting, and offering discounted or waived fees for city-owned property use.
Q: Why has the film industry been declining in Los Angeles?
A: The industry has been declining due to rising costs, a slow and burdensome permitting process, and generous tax incentives offered by other states and countries.
Q: How has the decline affected the local industry?
A: The decline has resulted in a significant drop in shoot days, with television production being hit especially hard, falling nearly 60% since its 2021 peak.
Q: What is the city doing to support the industry?
A: The city is taking steps to make the filming process faster, cheaper, and more competitive, and is also considering adjusting staffing and fee structures to support the industry.
