Contact: Philip Sokoloski Amy Kradolfer
VP, Integrated Comms. Director, Integrated Comms.
(213) 977-8630 (213) 977-8612
[email protected] [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
L.A. Area Film Shoot Days Decline in Third Quarter, as New Incentive-Backed Projects Offer Positive Early Signs for Greater LA Film Ecosystem LOS ANGELES – October 14, 2025 – FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions – today issued an update regarding regional filming activity. On-location production in Greater Los Angeles declined by -13.2 percent from July through September of 2025 compared to the same period the prior year. During this time, FilmLA recorded 4,380 Shoot Days (SD)* across all categories.
FilmLA’s report underscores the importance of recent actions by California Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature to strengthen and enhance California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. With 120 domestic and international jurisdictions actively competing with California for new film projects -- and the jobs and economic benefits they generate -- these actions were both timely and essential.
The California Film Commission was processing applications days after the state budget was approved and AB 1138 (Zbur/Bryan) was signed into law. The first 22 projects to be approved for the expanded state credit – including 18 television series planned for Greater Los Angeles – have 180 days to start production after their incentive award. In the third quarter, around 22 percent of LA-area Feature production and 9 percent of area Television production came from incentive-linked projects. “We know that it will take a little while for new incentive-backed projects to get underway and be reflected in our data, so we were not surprised to see on-location production continue to slip this summer despite the state’s increased investment,” observed FilmLA Vice President Philip Sokoloski. “Fortunately, we’ve already begun to see early signs of these incentives having their desired effect; we’re excited to be taking calls from productions looking to line up their locations and pull permits.” Slightly bucking the overall summer trend, area Feature production picked up in the third quarter, generating 522 SD, 9.7 percent more than in Q3 2024. Many independent features shot locally during the period, including Animals, Misty Green, The Musical, The Seekers, and You Can’t be Happy.
Meanwhile, FilmLA’s Television category at 1,441 SD declined -20.7 percent in the third quarter. Television remains the region’s core production driver. The decrease in local television production is primarily due to a steep quarterly drop in TV Reality production, which at 649 SD last quarter, retreated sharply from recent spring highs. Reality TV and game show series in LA include Dancing with the Stars (ABC), The Price is Right (CBS), The Valley (Bravo!), Dinner Time Live with David Chang (Netflix) and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Hulu).
TV Dramas (down 19.0 percent to 545 SD), TV Comedy (up 41.1 percent to 79 SD), and TV Pilots (down -34.5 percent to 19 SD) were also in the mix. Locally-filmed television series included 9-1-1 S9 (Fox), Criminal Minds S19 (CBS), High Potential S2 (ABC), Bel-Air S4 (Peacock), Golf S1 (Netflix), and Shrinking S3 (Apple TV+).
Commercial production, which receives no form of business incentive to create production jobs in California, declined -17.9 percent last quarter to 668 SD.
Commercials that filmed locally last quarter included retailers like Brooks Brothers, Lululemon, McDonald’s and Walmart, services such as American Express, Covered CA, Door Dash, Spotify, and car companies like BMW, Lexus, Nissan, and Toyota.
FilmLA’s “Other” Category, which collectively includes still photo shoots, student films, documentaries, short films, online content, plus music and industrial videos, achieved 1,749 SD, for a decline of -9.9 percent compared to the same period last year.
The diverse, multi-party coalition of studio and independent filmmakers, entertainment union and guild members, entertainment vendors, business advocates and grassroots activists that supported tax credit expansion now encourage local leaders to improve the local production environment. In Los Angeles and elsewhere, officials are focused on removing real and perceived barriers to production.
“LA’s creative industry is too important to let go without a fight,” Sokoloski summarized. “As part of our ongoing focus on streamlining and enhancing the on-location filmmaking process, we are convening industry listening sessions and using what we learn to improve our service delivery and recommend actionable process and policy improvements to our valued government partners.”
About FilmLA
FILML.A., INC® is a not-for-profit organization and the official film office of the City and County of Los Angeles, among an ever-increasing roster of local municipalities. Through expedited permit processing, comprehensive community relations, film policy analysis and other services, FilmLA works to streamline and enhance the on-location filmmaking process for communities and content creators, to ensure the Greater Los Angeles economy continues to thrive. Learn more about FilmLA at www.filmla.com.
Notes on This Report
* On-location production figures are based on days of permitted production within the jurisdictions served by FilmLA. One “Shoot Day” (or “SD”) is defined as one crew’s permission to film at one or more defined locations during any 24-hour period. 0 2000
4000
6000
8000
5295 5394
4380
6823
5749
5048
Q3Q2Q1
400
500
600
700
800
451
553
522
634
704
476
Q3Q2Q1
600
700
800
900
796
692
668
813 817 814
Q3Q2Q1
1000
1500
2000
2500
1670
2224
1441
2402
1901
1817
Q3Q2Q1
1500
2000
2500
3000
2378
1925
1749
2974
2327
1941
Q3Q2Q1
Feature Films
Television Other
TOTAL
Commercials
SHOOT DAYS
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2024 20252024 20252024 2025
LOS ANGELES SHOOT DAYS * - BY CATEGORY
Calendar Years 2024 – 2025, Third Quarter
Feature Films Commercials
Vs. 5 Year Average*: -30.4% Vs. 5 Year Average*: -38.8%
SHOOT DAYS
SHOOT DAYS
SHOOT DAYS
SHOOT DAYS
* On-location production figures are based on days of permitted production within the jurisdictions served by FilmLA. One “Shoot Day” (or “SD”) is defined as one crew’s permission to film at one or more defined locations during all or part of any given 24 hour period. This measure determines how many days of work film crews perform during a given time period. FilmLA data does not include production that occurs on certified sound stages or on-location in jurisdictions not served by FilmLA. 127 incentivized Q3 shoot days
8.8% of Television category
115 incentivized Q3 shoot days
22.0% of Feature Film category
* NOTE: Five year averages exclude year 2020 when production was suspended in Los Angeles County between mid-March through mid-June 2020 due to COVID-19 Vs. Q3 2024: + 9.7% Vs. Q3 2024: -17.9%
Television Other
Vs. 5 Year Average*: -57.9% Vs. 5 Year Average*: -29.7% Vs. Q3 2024: -20.7% Vs. Q3 2024: -9.9%
0 2000
4000
6000
8000
5295 5394
4380
6823
5749
5048
Q3Q2Q1
400
500
600
700
800
451
553
522
634
704
476
Q3Q2Q1
600
700
800
900
796
692
668
813 817 814
Q3Q2Q1
1000
1500
2000
2500
1670
2224
1441
2402
1901
1817
Q3Q2Q1
1500
2000
2500
3000
2378
1925
1749
2974
2327
1941
Q3Q2Q1
Feature Films
Television Other
TOTAL
Commercials
SHOOT DAYS
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2024 20252024 20252024 2025
0 2000
4000
6000
8000
5295 5394
4380
6823
5749
5048
Q3Q2Q1
400
500
600
700
800
451
553
522
634
704
476
Q3Q2Q1
600
700
800
900
796
692
668
813 817 814
Q3Q2Q1
1000
1500
2000
2500
1670
2224
1441
2402
1901
1817
Q3Q2Q1
1500
2000
2500
3000
2378
1925
1749
2974
2327
1941
Q3Q2Q1
Feature Films
Television Other
TOTAL
Commercials
SHOOT DAYS
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2024 20252024 20252024 2025
0 2000
4000
6000
8000
5295 5394
4380
6823
5749
5048
Q3Q2Q1
400
500
600
700
800
451
553
522
634
704
476
Q3Q2Q1
600
700
800
900
796
692
668
813 817 814
Q3Q2Q1
1000
1500
2000
2500
1670
2224
1441
2402
1901
1817
Q3Q2Q1
1500
2000
2500
3000
2378
1925
1749
2974
2327
1941
Q3Q2Q1
Feature Films
Television Other
TOTAL
Commercials
SHOOT DAYS
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2024 20252024 20252024 2025
400
500
600
700
800 782
545
440
720
714
673
Q3Q2Q1
0 50
100
150
200
110 100
79 157
171
56 Q3Q2Q1
500
750
1000
1250
1500
969
1124
649
1317
868
946
Q3Q2Q1
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 13
79 19
66 17
29 Q3Q2Q1
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
TV Drama TV Comedy
TV Reality TV Pilot
LOS ANGELES SHOOT DAYS *- BY TELEVISION SUB-CATEGORY
Calendar Years 2024 – 2025, Third Quarter
TV Drama TV Comedy
TV Reality TV Pilot
Vs. 5 Year Average*: -36.7% Vs. 5 Year Average*: -73.7% Vs. 5 Year Average*: -66.9% Vs. 5 Year Average*: -57.2%
SHOOT DAYSSHOOT DAYS
SHOOT DAYSSHOOT DAYS
112 incentivized Q3 shoot days
20.6% of TV Drama category
15 incentivized Q3 shoot days
19.0% of TV Comedy category
* NOTE: Five year averages exclude year 2020 when production was suspended in Los Angeles County between mid-March through mid-June 2020 due to COVID-19 Vs. Q3 2024: -19.0% Vs. Q3 2024: +41.1%
Vs. Q3 2024: -31.4% Vs. Q3 2024: -34.5%
400
500
600
700
800 782
545
440
720
714
673
Q3Q2Q1
0 50
100
150
200
110 100
79 157
171
56 Q3Q2Q1
500
750
1000
1250
1500
969
1124
649
1317
868
946
Q3Q2Q1
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 13
79 19
66 17
29 Q3Q2Q1
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
TV Drama TV Comedy
TV Reality TV Pilot
400
500
600
700
800 782
545
440
720
714
673
Q3Q2Q1
0 50
100
150
200
110 100
79 157
171
56 Q3Q2Q1
500
750
1000
1250
1500
969
1124
649
1317
868
946
Q3Q2Q1
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 13
79 19
66 17
29 Q3Q2Q1
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
TV Drama TV Comedy
TV Reality TV Pilot
400
500
600
700
800 782
545
440
720
714
673
Q3Q2Q1
0 50
100
150
200
110 100
79 157
171
56 Q3Q2Q1
500
750
1000
1250
1500
969
1124
649
1317
868
946
Q3Q2Q1
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 13
79 19
66 17
29 Q3Q2Q1
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
TV Drama TV Comedy
TV Reality TV Pilot
0 2000
4000
6000
8000
5295 5394
4380
6823
5749
5048
Q3Q2Q1
400
500
600
700
800
451
553
522
634
704
476
Q3Q2Q1
600
700
800
900
796
692
668
813 817 814
Q3Q2Q1
1000
1500
2000
2500
1670
2224
1441
2402
1901
1817
Q3Q2Q1
1500
2000
2500
3000
2378
1925
1749
2974
2327
1941
Q3Q2Q1
Feature Films
Television Other
TOTAL
Commercials
SHOOT DAYS
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2025
2024
2024 20252024 20252024 2025
TOTAL
SHOOT DAYS
LOS ANGELES SHOOT DAYS 2024 - 2025
Q3
Vs. 5 Year Average*: -37.0%
Vs. Q3 2024: -13.2%
* NOTE: Five year averages exclude year 2020 when production was suspended in Los Angeles County between mid-March through mid-June 2020 due to COVID-19 About FilmLA
FILML.A., INC® is a private, not-for-profit community benefit organization and the official film office of the City and County of Los Angeles, among an ever-increasing roster of local municipalities.
Providing streamlined permit processing, comprehensive community relations, marketing services, film policy analysis and more to these jurisdictions, FilmLA works to attract and retain film production in Greater Los Angeles. Learn more about us at FilmLA.com
@FilmLA @FilmLAinc @FilmLA @filmla.bsky.social