Los Angeles’ film and television production reached a troubling milestone in 2025, marking the lowest level of on-location activity in the region since the pandemic-disrupted year of 2020. According to data released by FilmLA, the official film permitting office for the city and county of Los Angeles, the greater Los Angeles area recorded only 19,694 shoot days throughout the year. This figure represents a decline of more than 16 percent from 2024’s total of 23,480 shoot days, continuing a downward trajectory that has persisted without interruption since 2021. The industry’s peak in recent memory came in 2018, and the steady erosion since then has raised concerns among local stakeholders about the long-term health of Hollywood’s home base, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The 2025 numbers reflect broader challenges facing the entertainment sector in California. Television production suffered the most severe setbacks, ending the year more than 50 percent below the five-year average. This category, which has historically anchored much of the region’s employment and economic activity, bore the brunt of global production cutbacks, competition from other states and countries offering aggressive incentives, and lingering effects from industry disruptions. Feature films performed somewhat better in relative terms, yet still experienced a substantial drop of over 31 percent compared to recent averages. Commercial production and other categories, including student films, documentaries, and music videos, also contributed to the overall decline.
A slight glimmer of optimism emerged in the final quarter of the year. From October to December, on-location filming totaled 4,625 shoot days, an increase of nearly 6 percent from the previous quarter’s 4,380 shoot days. This uptick contrasted sharply with year-over-year comparisons, where the same period showed a steeper fall, but it suggested that early signs of recovery might be appearing. FilmLA attributed part of this modest quarterly growth to the influence of California’s revamped Film and Television Tax Credit Program, which expanded significantly in mid-2025. Incentivized projects accounted for about 13 percent of shoot days in the fourth quarter, with higher proportions in certain categories such as television comedies and dramas, where over 31 percent benefited from subsidies.
The expansion of the tax credit program, which increased the base credit rate to 35 percent for shorter television series, sitcoms, animated projects, and large-scale competition formats, aimed primarily at bolstering television production. Since its implementation, the state has approved incentives for 119 productions, many slated to film at least partially in Los Angeles. Notable upcoming projects include major titles like Heat 2, though dozens of approved efforts have yet to commence shooting due to the standard 180-day window producers receive to begin principal photography after award notification. FilmLA has emphasized that the full economic and employment benefits of these changes will require time to fully materialize, as the pipeline of incentivized work gradually translates into active sets.
FilmLA leadership expressed disappointment with the annual totals while maintaining a forward-looking stance. The organization highlighted ongoing collaborations with independent filmmakers, labor groups, government officials, and regional partners to streamline permitting processes, reduce costs, and improve accessibility for productions choosing Los Angeles locations. Initiatives in development promise to foster more film-friendly policies across the area in the coming months. Efforts focus on bringing production back to its traditional hub, where a deep pool of skilled crew members, craftspeople, and support services remains ready to support a resurgence.
The persistent slump carries significant implications for the local economy. Film and television production supports thousands of jobs across a wide range of trades, from set construction and lighting to transportation and catering. Declining shoot days translate directly into reduced work opportunities for the highly trained entertainment workforce that has defined Southern California for decades. While the tax credit enhancements represent a substantial state investment in retaining and attracting projects, industry observers continue to monitor how effectively they counteract the pull of competing jurisdictions.
As 2026 begins, the modest fourth-quarter increase offers cautious hope that the combination of expanded incentives and collaborative policy work could reverse years of contraction. FilmLA remains committed to advocating for measures that make filming in the Los Angeles region more viable, affordable, and efficient, with the goal of restoring robust activity levels and revitalizing employment in the sector that has long powered the area’s cultural and economic identity. The coming months will reveal whether these efforts gain traction and begin to lift production volumes back toward historical norms.
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