The film and television industry in Los Angeles faced a significant decline in production during the first three months of the year, with on-location shoots dropping by 22.4% compared to the same period last year. This data comes from a recent report by FilmLA, a nonprofit organization that monitors shoot days in the Greater L.A. region. The total number of on-location shoot days for the first quarter of 2025 was 5,295, a notable decrease from the 6,823 shoot days recorded the previous year.
The Southern California wildfires that ravaged the region in January had a temporary impact on productions, causing entertainment industry workers to evacuate their homes and disrupting filming schedules. Despite these challenges, the report indicated that the fires did not have a lasting effect on production in the area. However, the Pacific Palisades and Altadena regions were particularly affected, hosting just over 1,400 filming days over the past four years, accounting for about 1.3% of all regional filming. In fact, approximately 545 filming locations were situated in the burn zones, highlighting the widespread impact of the wildfires on the industry.
Television production saw a significant decline of 30.5% in the first quarter compared to the previous year. This drop affected all categories of TV production, including dramas (38.9% decrease), comedies (29.9% decrease), reality shows (26.4% decrease), and pilots (80.3% decrease). Similarly, feature film production decreased by 28.9%, while commercials experienced a 2.1% decline. Even the “other” category, encompassing smaller and lower-cost shoots like student productions, documentaries, and music videos, faced a 20% decrease compared to the previous year.
“California can’t afford to surrender any more work to its competitors,” emphasized FilmLA spokesman Philip Sokoloski in a statement. As other states and countries enhance their film and TV tax credit programs, productions are increasingly moving away from the Golden State. In response to this trend, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators are advocating for improvements to California’s program to attract these productions back to the region and create more job opportunities for local workers.
Last year, Gov. Newsom proposed an increase to the state’s program, aiming to more than double the annual allocation for incentives. Currently, California legislators have introduced dual bills in the Assembly and state Senate that seek to boost the film tax credit to cover up to 35% of qualified expenditures for movies and TV series filmed in the Los Angeles area. These efforts reflect a broader strategy to revitalize the local industry and retain its status as a leading hub for film and television production.
