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The Los Angeles City Council has taken a significant step by unanimously approving a motion aimed at investigating ways to cut costs associated with on-location filming. This initiative is part of broader efforts to revitalize faltering production rates in California.
This motion was brought forth by newly elected councilmember Adrin Nazarian, who represents North Hollywood, an area that hosts numerous IATSE West Coast locals. The proposal seeks to explore potential reductions or eliminations of fees, particularly for filming on public property, as well as ways to streamline the permitting process.
During the city council meeting on Tuesday, Nazarian addressed the alarming decline in production levels in Los Angeles, noting that studios have shifted their operations to other states and countries due to increasing pressure to reduce costs and enhance profitability for their streaming platforms.
“We’ve been regressing and losing so much ground,” he expressed. “Now we’re losing commercials, platforms, and miniseries. We cannot let this continue.”
Despite a few prominent productions relocating to California, such as NBC’s “Suits L.A.” and the second season of Prime Video’s “Fallout,” the overall television production in Los Angeles has plummeted by 58% from its peak in 2021, according to FilmLA’s latest quarterly report.
In light of this, Hollywood unions and studios, which had been at odds during a significant strike two years ago, are now collaborating to advocate for local and state policy changes to enhance California’s standing as a competitive hub for production.
At the state level, two bills designed to broaden the range of productions eligible for the California Film and Television Tax Credit are progressing through various legislative committees. These initiatives have garnered the backing of Governor Gavin Newsom, who previously advocated for increasing the program’s funding cap from $330 million to $750 million.
These reforms are expected to arise during a challenging budget discussion for state legislators next month, as California navigates economic uncertainty tied to federal tariffs on China and ongoing risks to federal funding.
While these bills make their way through the legislature, grassroots organizations like Stay in LA are also addressing permitting expenses as a crucial aspect of their advocacy efforts. They have distributed flyers at industry events highlighting the stark contrast between the fees for production in Los Angeles compared to cities such as New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Notably, several fees associated with filming in Los Angeles—including those for fire reviews, public safety personnel, and specific road use permits—are significantly higher or absent in other urban centers, impacting the affordability of shooting in the city.
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www.thewrap.com