How Hollywood’s production crisis became a key issue in the L.A. mayor’s race

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I recently had the chance to observe Councilmember Nithya Raman, representing the 4th District here in Los Angeles, essentially making her opening statement for the mayoral race. It was a surprisingly intimate setting – she walked and spoke on a deserted movie backlot, no name on the gate, just laying out her vision for the city. It felt less like a polished campaign stop and more like a direct appeal, a chance to connect with voters on a personal level. It was a bold choice of location, and definitely left an impression.

She explained in a social media video that film studios like this one were once bustling with activity, employing thousands of Los Angeles residents – including costume designers, electricians, medics, and caterers. However, she noted that these studios are now much quieter, as the number of filming days in the city has decreased by half since 2018.

Having shared how this issue affects her personally – her husband works in television – and after detailing her disagreements with Mayor Bass’ approach and her own vision for the future, Raman announced her candidacy for mayor, stating her goal is to ensure Los Angeles remains the world’s leading center for film and television production.

Hollywood Inc.

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Just a few years ago, focusing on the problems of the entertainment industry during a mayoral race would have seemed strange. But the current production slowdown, which has severely impacted Hollywood and its workers, has become a major issue. Now, the health of L.A.’s film and television industry is as important to voters – and candidates – as issues like housing costs, safety, and homelessness.

During campaign ads, interviews, and the recent debate, the three leading candidates – current Mayor Bass, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, and Raman – repeatedly discussed the city’s struggling production industry. Each candidate presented their own ideas for improvement, while also using the issue to criticize their opponents.

For many years, politicians haven’t needed to pay much attention to the film and television industry, or make it a key part of their campaigns. It was generally assumed that local film and TV production would remain a major force in the city’s economy, as it has been for over a hundred years.

Los Angeles has experienced significant economic losses in recent years due to several factors: media companies merging, increased film and TV production moving to locations with lower taxes, and a slowdown in the streaming industry. This has resulted in the loss of approximately 57,000 jobs and over 80 production service businesses closing in the city since 2022, costing billions in economic activity.

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Pamala Buzick Kim, a co-founder of the community campaign Stay in LA, explained that ‘saving Hollywood’ isn’t just a catchphrase – it’s a real necessity. Stay in LA is working to bring more movie and TV production back to Los Angeles.

The main reason film studios and producers choose where to film is because of state and federal tax incentives, and the city doesn’t have any say in those decisions.

However, Buzick Kim and others believe the mayor has significant opportunities to work together with the City Council to achieve positive outcomes.

Filmmakers and advocates believe the city can significantly improve its support for the film industry by streamlining its slow, complicated, and expensive permitting process. Currently, these hurdles are driving production to other, more welcoming and affordable locations.

Although some recent efforts have been made – like a trial program with cheaper filming permits for productions that promise minimal disruption to neighborhoods – many feel these changes aren’t enough and should have happened sooner.

After 34 years in the industry, location manager Ed Lippman, who has worked on shows like “ER” and “The X-Files” and the film “Galaxy Quest,” says things are getting worse, not better. “We’ve been talking about solutions for years, but only see small, insignificant improvements,” he explains. “If Los Angeles doesn’t become more welcoming to businesses, production will move to other cities.”

Adding to the challenge, the Los Angeles area is divided into over 100 different cities and agencies, and each one often has its own unique rules for filming.

Travis Beck, who works as a location manager for commercials, films, and music videos, explained that filming locations all have different rules. He pointed out that Burbank’s regulations aren’t the same as Glendale’s or Pasadena’s, highlighting the need for consistent standards across the board.

The recent issues with filming the “Baywatch” reboot at Venice Beach highlighted Los Angeles’ attempts to attract more production, boosted by a $21 million tax incentive, while also exposing the surprisingly complicated bureaucracy involved in filming in the city.

Filming started in March, but the production quickly ran into some problems. One issue was parking – they needed almost twice as much space as their permit allowed, and this wasn’t included in the initial plans.

I was really surprised to see claims online from someone claiming the show had to move out of Venice Beach because of tough government rules. The people working on the production quickly said that wasn’t true, but it still sparked a huge debate. It really got people talking about how difficult it can be to film anything in L.A., and it became a symbol of all that frustration with the city’s red tape. It’s a shame it came to that, but it definitely highlighted a real problem.

The “Baywatch” team swiftly addressed the parking problem by reaching an agreement with city and county leaders, gaining a 20% discount for parking. Meanwhile, the candidates running for mayor capitalized on the situation to boost their campaigns.

Pratt slammed the city’s permitting problems.

“LA turned its back on Hollywood — now the golden goose needs CPR,” he wrote on his Substack.

Bass highlighted her administration’s leadership on the matter.

Last month, a representative from Los Angeles announced that the city is committed to simplifying and lowering the costs of filming, reinforcing its position as a leading location for the entertainment industry.

On April 21st, the mayor announced new support for film and television productions, including 20% discounts on parking and equipment rentals from the city, lower filming costs at popular locations like the Griffith Observatory, and the reopening of the Central Library for shoots. Last August, she also named Steve Kang, head of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, as the city’s main contact for film projects.

Raman is committed to growing the state’s film industry by continuing the $750 million tax incentive program and making the permitting process easier and more affordable, especially for smaller productions. She also plans to create a city film office with a designated representative to help filmmakers navigate the process.

According to Raman, Hollywood productions aren’t leaving Los Angeles because they want to, but because the city has created obstacles that make it difficult for them to remain. He stated, ‘Los Angeles is losing Hollywood…because we’ve made it too hard for them to stay.’

Pratt has announced plans to make filming in the city easier and more affordable. He’s pledged to cut location fees by 50%, expedite the permit process, limit the number of city staff required on set for most productions, and eliminate all fees for projects with budgets under $2 million, as shared on his Substack and in podcast appearances.

Hollywood Inc.

With more countries offering attractive incentives, better facilities, and skilled film crews, an increasing amount of filming is now happening outside of the US.

All three candidates have attacked one another over their approach to Hollywood.

According to Pratt and Raman, Bass didn’t act quickly enough to solve problems with film production and keep jobs in the industry, only taking action as the election gained momentum.

I have to say, I was pretty taken aback by Chris Pratt’s comments on the Monks & Merrill podcast. He really came down hard on Karen Bass’s decisions regarding filming locations, specifically the Griffith Observatory. He questioned the need for a shot there, given the issues with homelessness and, frankly, the mess that comes with it. It was a blunt assessment, to say the least, and definitely sparked some conversation.

The incumbent mayor has defended her administration’s record with the entertainment industry.

Bass and Pratt have criticized Raman, arguing she didn’t do enough to support important issues while she was on the City Council.

During a recent debate, Bass pointed out that while the individual feels passionately about the issue, they’ve never formally proposed any action related to it. Whenever proposals did come up for discussion, she either removed herself from the vote or left the room.

Because of her husband’s job in television, Raman decided not to vote on issues concerning Hollywood to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

People in the film industry want the mayor’s office to strongly support efforts that will attract more production to the city. They point to New York City’s success in becoming a major filmmaking hub. (The city’s film liaison, Kang, says a similar marketing campaign is planned to launch this fall.)

Chris Fuentes, a retired location manager with 30 years of experience, believes that simply reducing fees and streamlining the permitting process would be a significant step toward reviving local filming. He said that while there’s a lot of discussion about supporting the film industry, focusing on these practical improvements would directly help filmmakers and get projects moving again.

Buzick Kim acknowledged receiving positive feedback, but explained that the mayor’s office has limitations. Specifically, offering tax incentives is typically handled by state and federal governments, not the city.

She emphasized that the mayor needs to focus on Hollywood and come up with creative solutions to reduce costs and streamline production.

Kang agrees, but says there are limits to what the mayor can achieve.

While we’re eager to expand opportunities in the entertainment industry, significant financial support – like tax incentives – needs to come from the state capital and Washington. Los Angeles simply doesn’t have the funds to compete with other areas offering millions in these incentives on its own.

Honestly, as someone who works in this field, we’re really hoping for city leaders who will actually do things, not just make promises. We want action, not just talk.

“This is the birthplace of cinema,” Beck said. “It shouldn’t be so hard to film here.”

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2026-05-17 13:32