After finishing at historically low levels in 2024, production in Los Angeles hit a new nadir last year.
The region recorded just 19,694 shoot days in 2025, the lowest figure observed outside of 2020 when filming was halted amid the pandemic, according to the latest report from film permitting office FilmLA on Wednesday. It’s slightly more than a 16 percent drop-off compared to the previous year as local filming continues to decline since the highs of 2018. L.A. hasn’t seen filming levels increase year-over-year since 2021, though there’s hope that changes with the passage of major alterations to California’s subsidy program for Hollywood.
In a statement, FilmLA spokesperson Philip Sokoloski said the year-end figures are “disappointing,” though “not unexpected.” He urged patience, saying that the office has “consistently projected that the full effect of the expanded Film and Television Tax Credit Program would take time to materialize.”
Since that expansion, the state has tapped 119 productions to receive filming subsidies. Dozens of those titles — many of which will at least partially shoot in Los Angeles, including Heat 2 — haven’t begun filming.
In the three month period from October to December, production in L.A. saw 4,625 shoot days, up nearly six percent from the previous quarter. The year-over-year figures shows an escalating slide in filming levels. Filming for TV shows ended 2025 over 50 percent below the five-year average. Features fared better but not by much, with the category recording a drop-off of more than 31 percent in that same span.
California’s changes to the film and TV tax credit program are mostly aimed at TV, long an anchor of production in the region. Shorter TV shows, sitcoms, animated titles and “large-scale competition” shows are now eligible for a base credit of 35 percent of eligible production costs. More than 17 percent of all projects that shot in the region last year received subsidies, according to FilmLA. Over 31 percent of all TV comedies and dramas got tax credits, showing the growing importance of California’s role in maintaining production in the state.
“FilmLA is grateful to have had the opportunity to meet with independent filmmakers, labor organizations, and government leaders over the past year, exploring all opportunities to make filming in the Los Angeles region more accessible, affordable, and streamlined,” said FilmLA CEO Denise Gutches, a longtime office executive who was appointed as chief executive in October. “Many exciting initiatives are currently in development, and we look forward to seeing film-friendly policies expand throughout the region in the coming months. It’s time to bring production back home where it belongs, and put our talented, highly skilled entertainment workforce back to work.”
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