Hollywood’s Production Downturn Deepens: Los Angeles Sees Sharp Decline in Film and TV Shoots in Early 2025

LOS ANGELES, CA – The cornerstone of the global entertainment industry, Los Angeles, is grappling with a significant and persistent decline in film and television production activity, according to a comprehensive report released on April 14, 2025. The data paints a stark picture of reduced on-location filming, a key indicator of the sector’s health in the region.

For the first quarter of 2025, the total number of on-location shoot days across the greater L.A. area registered at just 5,295. This figure represents a substantial decrease when compared to the 6,823 shoot days recorded during the same three-month period in the previous year, highlighting a worrying trend for the local economy and workforce dependent on the industry.

Understanding the Data

The report, compiled and released by FilmLA, the official film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, underscores the challenges facing the region’s production landscape. On-location shoot days represent the cumulative number of days that permitted film, television, and commercial productions film outside of certified sound stages across the Los Angeles area. A decline in this metric directly reflects reduced activity in neighborhoods, businesses, and public spaces frequently utilized as filming locations.

FilmLA noted that while Southern California experienced significant wildfires in January, which temporarily halted some productions and impacted approximately 545 filming locations within the burn zones, these events did not constitute a lasting effect on the overall downward trajectory observed in the first quarter’s production figures. The data indicates that the decline is rooted in broader, ongoing factors rather than being solely attributable to isolated environmental incidents.

Impact Across Production Categories

The downturn was felt across multiple segments of the entertainment production ecosystem. Television production experienced a particularly severe contraction, recording a significant drop of 30.5% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. This decline was not confined to a single genre but was pervasive across all major television categories tracked by the report.

Dramas saw their on-location shoot days fall by a notable 38.9%. Comedy series experienced a decrease of 29.9%. Reality television production, a format often utilizing diverse real-world locations, also saw a drop of 26.4%. Perhaps most concerning for the future pipeline of television content, on-location filming for television pilots plummeted by a staggering 80.3%, indicating a significant slowdown in the development and testing phase for new series.

Feature film production was also significantly impacted, with on-location shoot days decreasing by 28.9% in the first quarter. While commercials showed a more modest decline compared to scripted content, they still registered a decrease of 2.1% during the period. The report’s “other” category, which encompasses a variety of smaller-scale shoots such as student films, documentaries, and music videos, saw activity drop by approximately 20%.

Localized Trends

The decline impacts diverse communities within the sprawling Los Angeles region. Specific areas known for their scenic and versatile filming locations have also seen reduced activity. For instance, the report highlighted data pertaining to the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Combined, these two distinct communities accounted for over 1,400 on-location shoot days over the past four years, representing about 1.3% of all regional filming activity during that period. While specific first-quarter 2025 numbers for these micro-locations were not detailed in the summary, the overall regional decline suggests reduced activity is likely widespread.

Broader Context

The figures released on April 14, 2025, underscore that the dip in production activity is not an isolated event but rather a continuation of challenging conditions that have affected Hollywood’s on-location footprint. The reduction in shoot days reflects complex dynamics within the industry, including evolving business models, potential impacts from past labor disputes, and increased competition from production hubs in other states and countries offering incentives.

While the FilmLA report primarily focuses on quantifying the decline in on-location activity, the numbers have significant implications for a wide array of local businesses and workers, from crews and actors to caterers, equipment suppliers, and location vendors who rely on a robust production volume.

The sharp drops across key categories, particularly in television pilots, signal potential long-term effects on content creation pipelines. The report serves as a critical benchmark, confirming that despite the resolution of major labor negotiations in the prior year, the rebound in on-location production in Los Angeles has yet to materialize, and the downward trend continues to present a significant challenge for the region’s signature industry.