‘This town has been very good to me’: How a top Hollywood producer refused to abandon L.A. after fires

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I was really excited about David E. Kelley’s new Apple TV+ series, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and things were all set to start filming in early January. But then, the wildfires hit around Los Angeles, and it was awful – especially for areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena. It threw everything into chaos, of course.

Some crew members lost their homes, while others suffered significant smoke damage. Those who weren’t affected opened their homes to provide shelter for those who were displaced.

Adding to the existing doubts, the show hadn’t yet received confirmation about a state tax credit for film and television production.

Kelley and the other producers faced a tough choice. They needed to decide whether to move filming to a more affordable location like New Mexico or Vancouver. This would guarantee they had enough money to shoot a crucial episode in Las Vegas, but it meant potentially changing their plans.

I was so glad they decided to stick it out in California! It really paid off for “Margo.” The show ended up getting a huge tax credit – around $1.2 million per episode! That meant we could film most of it right here in the Los Angeles area, and we even got to do a four-day shoot in Las Vegas, which was amazing.

Matthew Tinker, president of David E. Kelley Productions, described the rest of the show’s production as taking place in California. He explained that filming in Las Vegas after leaving Los Angeles adds a special quality and allows for a much larger-scale production than they could have achieved otherwise.

As film and TV projects have increasingly moved out of state in search of better tax incentives and cheaper costs — moves that have culled the number of Hollywood jobs — Kelley’s production company is doubling down on California. The former attorney turned writer-producer is one of the biggest names in TV behind such legal dramas as “Ally McBeal” and “The Practice.”

He’s currently filming all of his projects in Los Angeles. This includes the third season of HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” the legal drama “The Lincoln Lawyer,” a new HBO Max series called “Nightshade” (based on a Michael Connelly book and set on Santa Catalina Island), and the thriller “Presumed Innocent.”

He also handles the finishing touches for his shows in Los Angeles. His production company, David E. Kelley Productions, recently relocated to a new office in Santa Monica and intends to stay there for the long term.

In August, Ryan Kelley expressed his disappointment that Los Angeles is losing its position as the main hub for film and television production. Speaking over Zoom, he said he felt it was wrong, especially considering how successful and supportive the city has been to him over the years, and he wants to remain connected to the local creative community that has given him so much.

The sentiment is shared by his second-in-command.

Standing in the rooftop garden of the Santa Monica building where Kelley worked, Tinker gazed at the hills and recalled the smoke that had hung in the air for days.

Hollywood Inc.

Hollywood workers, from all positions, are uniting to advocate for changes to California’s film and television tax breaks. However, given the state’s current financial challenges, it’s uncertain whether the legislation will pass.

The January wildfires reinforced the decision to keep Kelley’s production company based in Los Angeles, even though there had been discussions about moving elsewhere. While there was hope that California would increase its incentives for film and television production, the fires made it clear that staying and supporting L.A. and Hollywood was the right choice. The recent increase in the state’s film and TV tax credit program confirmed that decision.

As a longtime L.A. resident, seeing the fires really tested us, but it was amazing how everyone came together. It just reinforced for me that there’s no other place I’d rather be – this is home, and I can’t imagine building a life anywhere else.

The new Santa Monica office is a stylish and modern 2,900-square-foot space. It features concrete floors and walls, accented with dark wood, and includes fun touches like two arcade games. A central display showcases dozens of awards, and the overall design pays tribute to Hollywood’s rich history. It replaced an older building on the same site.

The office displays mementos from Bill Kelley’s career and family history. An old sign from his time at Fox hangs beside the script for the first episode of “Margo,” signed by Elle Fanning. Nearby are a photo of Ronald Reagan with Matthew Tinker’s grandfather, Grant Tinker-a former NBC executive-a bobblehead from Kelley’s show “Boston Legal,” and a photo of Matthew Tinker’s father, John Tinker, accepting an Emmy for his writing on “St. Elsewhere” in 1986.

Matthew Tinker reflects on a varied career, having worked in almost every role imaginable. This breadth of experience was thanks to the consistently busy production scene in his city.

I’ve been following the debate around California’s film and TV tax credit, and it really comes down to jobs. Hollywood, along with state lawmakers, has been working hard to boost funding for the program – we’re talking up to $750 million a year now – and they’ve also broadened who can apply. The goal is simple: keep the industry thriving here and ensure there are plenty of good jobs for everyone involved. It’s a significant investment, but one they believe is vital for the future.

I’m really seeing the impact of those changes that Governor Newsom approved a few months ago – they’re officially in place now, and it’s great to see them actually starting to make a difference!

After updating its program, the California Film Commission received almost four times as many applications for TV show tax credits than before. They ultimately approved credits for 22 different shows.

California is experiencing a surge in film production, according to Colleen Bell, head of the California Film Commission. She explained that there’s been a significant build-up of interest, and recent enhancements to the state’s film incentive program are fueling that growth.

The recent increase in activity is a welcome sign. FilmLA, a nonprofit that monitors filming in the Los Angeles area, reports that production has been down 9% this year compared to last year. 2024 was the second slowest year for filming in the region, following only 2020 when production halted due to the pandemic.

There’s good news for local film production: of the 22 new TV shows recently approved for California tax credits, 18 plan to film primarily in the Greater Los Angeles area, including the upcoming series “Presumed Innocent.”

As a movie fan, I’ve been following the California film scene for a while, and it’s great to hear FilmLA’s Philip Sokoloski say that as long as people believe California is a good place to make movies, we’ll keep seeing talented people build their careers here. Basically, confidence in California’s future means more filmmakers will choose to work here, which is fantastic news for all of us who love movies!

Filmmakers working in Los Angeles often need to adapt to higher costs. This might involve shortening a TV series shoot from the usual 100 days to 85, or limiting the number of hours they film each day.

Caroline James, a co-executive producer on shows like “Presumed Innocent” and “Margo” (which each had around 500 crew members), believes this is easily achievable with skilled Los Angeles-based teams.

“There’s such an infrastructure in L.A.,” she said. “There’s no learning curve.”

Kelley’s small production company, with a team of six including an experienced writer and producer, sometimes needs to film outside of Los Angeles. However, the company plans to prioritize L.A. locations whenever possible, and they hope other productions will do the same.

“The goal is to always look at California first,” Tinker said.

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2025-09-20 13:32