A Dramatic Decline in Filming Days

The entertainment capital of the world is facing a staggering decline in film and TV production. A newly released report by FilmLA shows that on-location filming in the Greater Los Angeles area dropped by a jaw-dropping 22.4% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year.

According to the findings, there were a mere 5,295 on-location shoot days from January to March, a sharp decline from 6,823 during the same period last year. A shoot day is defined as a single crew working at one location for 24 hours.

Wildfires Hit Hard, But Not for Long

While the Southern California wildfires in January dealt a temporary blow, forcing many industry professionals to evacuate their homes, the report suggests that the catastrophic events did not have a lasting adverse effect on filming overall.

TV Production Plummets – What Does This Mean?

Television production took the hardest hit, plunging a startling 30.5%. Dramas suffered the most with a 38.9% decline, followed closely by comedies at 29.9%, and reality shows down by 26.4%. Pilots experienced an alarming drop of 80.3%. Feature films and commercials also faced challenges, with decreases of 28.9% and 2.1% respectively.

The 'Other' Category Falls Short

Even the so-called ‘other’ category, which includes smaller productions like student films and documentaries, dropped by about 20%—a sign that the industry is truly struggling across the board.

California's Competition Heats Up

FilmLA spokesman Philip Sokoloski emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “California can’t afford to surrender any more work to its competitors.” Other states and countries are aggressively luring productions away from California with enticing tax breaks and incentives.

The film industry has been navigating choppy waters thanks to the pandemic, which halted production and post-production work, followed by the double whammy of writer and actor strikes in 2023.

Streaming Wars Slow Down – What Lies Ahead?

In a brief respite during the streaming wars, studios invested heavily in new content, but that spending spree is coming to an end as concerns over profitability loom large. With fewer movies hitting theaters, the industry’s future looks uncertain.

A Call to Action from Leadership

In light of these alarming trends, California's Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislators are advocating for improvements to the tax credit program aimed at reviving production and creating local jobs. Last year, Newsom proposed a substantial increase, hoping to more than double annual funds for production incentives from $330 million to a whopping $750 million.