On-Location Filming in LA Drops 4.8%

Los Angeles Film and TV Shoot Days Keep Plunging As Local Officials Scramble for a Turnaround Plan

Production levels in the city have dropped the last two quarters despite a record number of titles getting tax credits.

On-Location Filming in LA Drops 4.8%

On-location filming in Los Angeles continued to decline during the third quarter of 2026, despite a sharp increase in production supported by California’s expanded film and television tax credit program, according to a report released Wednesday. FilmLA, the nonprofit organization that coordinates film permits and tracks on-location production in the L.A. area, reported 4,171 shoot […]

LA Filming Falls 4.8% in Third Quarter Despite New Tax Credits

Los Angeles Production Is Still Declining In Q3 2026

On-location production is still declining in the Los Angeles area, even if California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program is propping up much of what’s left. Per the latest report from FilmLA, on-location filming accounted for 4,171 shoot days from July through September 2026, which is a 4.8% decrease from the same period last year. However, the organization also finds that the state’s tax incentive is accounting for about 40.3% of scripted…

California film production falls 3.7% in Q3 despite incentives

Variety reports that California film production dropped 3.7% in Q3 despite state incentives.

Los Angeles On-Location Filming Drops Again by 4.8% in Q3, FilmLA Study Shows

California's expanded tax incentive has only mitigated L.A.'s ongoing shoot decline amidst an international backslide in production spending