LA Film Production Declines 13.2% in Q3 2025, Incentive-Backed Projects Signal Hope

Industry News

by Nino LeitnerOctober 17^th, 2025

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On-location filming in Greater Los Angeles continues to decline, though early signs from California’s newly expanded Film & Television Tax Credit Program suggest that recovery could be on the horizon. Can this really offer a turnaround as LA film production declines?

FilmLA’s latest quarterly report, released yesterday, paints another challenging picture for California’s production capital, following the prior decline in Q2 2025, which we also reported about. The organization recorded just 4,380 shoot days between July and September 2025, a 13.2% decrease compared to the same period last year. The decline spans most categories, yet there are glimmers of progress as incentive-backed projects begin to ramp up following the passage of Assembly Bill 1138 (Zbur/Bryan) earlier this year.

Feature films rebound slightly

Feature film production was one of the few positive notes of the quarter, climbing 9.7% year-over-year to 522 shoot days. According to FilmLA, about 22% of those projects were tied to the new tax incentives, an early indication that the expanded credits are starting to gain traction. Local productions included independent titles such as Animals, Misty Green, The Musical, The Seekers, and You Can’t Be Happy, all part of a continued trend toward indie-led shoots in the region.

This modest rebound follows the steep 21.4% drop in feature activity reported in Q2 2025, when all local productions were independent. The improvement suggests that the updated tax credit system may be slowly reversing the exodus of productions to more incentive-heavy regions.

Television remains the main driver despite steep decline

Television, traditionally Los Angeles’ strongest production segment, fell sharply by 20.7% to 1,441 shoot days, largely due to a significant drop in reality and game show production. Reality programming declined to 649 shoot days, down from 1,124 in the previous quarter. Despite this, several well-known series continued filming locally, including Dancing with the Stars (ABC), The Price is Right (CBS), and Dinner Time Live with David Chang (Netflix).

TV dramas saw a 19% decline to 545 shoot days, while comedy projects rose 41% to 79 shoot days, hinting at renewed diversity in scripted formats. High-profile titles filmed in the region included 9-1-1 Season 9 (Fox), Criminal Minds Season 19 (CBS), High Potential Season 2 (ABC), Bel-Air Season 4 (Peacock), Golf Season 1 (Netflix), and Shrinking Season 3 (Apple TV+).

Commercials and other categories also slip

Commercial production continued its downward trajectory, dropping 17.9% to 668 shoot days. FilmLA again emphasized that this sector remains unprotected by any local or state-level incentives, making it a sensitive indicator of California’s overall production competitiveness. Recent campaigns shot in LA included work for Lululemon, McDonald’s, Walmart, BMW, and Toyota.

The “Other” category, which encompasses still photography, student films, documentaries, music videos, and online content, also contracted, slipping 9.9% year-over-year to 1,749 shoot days.

Cautious optimism as incentive-backed productions ramp up

FilmLA’s Vice President Philip Sokoloski struck a hopeful tone despite the summer slowdown. “We know that it will take a little while for new incentive-backed projects to get underway and be reflected in our data,” he said, noting that the office has already begun receiving calls from productions planning to pull permits under the new system.

The California Film Commission has approved 22 projects so far under the expanded program, 18 of which are television series expected to shoot in Greater Los Angeles. These projects must begin principal photography within 180 days of receiving their incentive award, suggesting that the impact of the new credits will become more visible in early 2026.

Long-term trend: LA film production declines

With total activity now 37% below the five-year average, Los Angeles’ film economy remains under pressure. Yet, the gradual rise in incentive-linked shoots could mark the beginning of a turnaround, provided that state and local policymakers continue efforts to remove production barriers and streamline permitting.

As Sokoloski concluded, “LA’s creative industry is too important to let go without a fight.” FilmLA is now hosting industry listening sessions to identify actionable policy improvements aimed at keeping more productions and jobs in California.

Are you currently working on an incentive-backed production in Los Angeles? Have the new tax credits made a difference for your team yet? Share your experience in the comments below.