Finally, some slightly positive news for the Los Angeles production community. However, we are not out of the woods yet. On-location production showed modest signs of stabilization in the final quarter of 2025, but the year as a whole closed with significant losses as the local film and television industry continues to feel the effects of production flight, labor disruption, and delayed incentive impact.
According to new data released by FilmLA Research, on-location filming in Greater Los Angeles totaled 4,625 shoot days in Q4 2025, a 5.6 percent increase over Q3. While that quarter-to-quarter gain offers a small measure of momentum, it was not enough to offset a difficult year overall. Total shoot days for 2025 landed at 19,694, representing a 16.1 percent decline from 2024 and one of the lowest annual totals outside the pandemic era.
FilmLA cautioned that the year-end numbers, while discouraging, were largely expected. The expanded California Film and Television Tax Credit Program only took effect in mid-2025, and many productions that have been awarded have yet to roll cameras.
“While the year-end numbers are disappointing, they are not unexpected,” said FilmLA VP of Integrated Communications Philip Sokoloski. “FilmLA has consistently projected that the full effect of the expanded Film and Television Tax Credit Program would take time to materialize, and although our overall numbers remain low, there are dozens of incentivized projects that have yet to begin filming. We were pleased to see that a majority of the incentivized project Shoot Days in the Feature Film Category were for independent films, and we look forward to continuing to support productions of all sizes as they kick off early in the New Year.”
Since the expansion launched last July, 119 projects have been awarded incentives, including 28 projects in the most recent December allocation. All approved productions have up to 180 days to begin filming, meaning a substantial portion of incentivized work is expected to materialize in early 2026 rather than appear in 2025 totals.
That delay is already visible in the data. Incentivized projects accounted for approximately 13 percent of all film and television shoot days in Q4, with particularly strong representation among independent feature films.
Feature Films Show Incentive Lift, But Remain Well Below Historic Norms
Feature film production declined 19.7 percent year over year in Q4, finishing the quarter with 473 shoot days. For the full year, feature films ended 31.7 percent below the category’s five-year average, underscoring how far theatrical production has yet to recover in Los Angeles.
However, incentives are clearly playing a role in what activity remains. More than 17 percent of Q4 feature-film shoot days came from incentivized projects, the majority of which were independent films. FilmLA characterized this as an encouraging sign that the revised tax credit structure is beginning to attract smaller-scale productions back to the region.
Television Continues to Struggle, Especially Drama
Television production remained the most challenged sector. The category posted 1,247 shoot days in Q4, down 21.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024, and finishing the year 50.1 percent below its five-year average.
TV dramas were hit hardest. Shoot days in the subcategory fell 36.4 percent year over year in Q4 and landed 43.3 percent below the five-year average. Still, incentives made a measurable difference again: 31 percent of TV drama shoot days in Q4 were tied to incentivized projects, including returning series such as The Rookie, The Comeback, Monster, and The Land.
TV comedy fared slightly better. The category declined 6 percent year over year in Q4, though it remains 66 percent below its five-year average, reflecting how far single-camera comedy production has drifted from Los Angeles in recent years. Nearly 32 percent of TV comedy shoot days in the quarter were incentivized, aided by recent eligibility changes that opened the door to shorter-episode formats previously excluded from the tax credit program.
Reality television also declined, posting 698 shoot days in Q4, down 9.8 percent year over year and 49.7 percent below the five-year average. Long-running series such as Dancing with the Stars and The Price Is Right continued to anchor the category, alongside newer streaming titles.
Commercials and “Other” Production Continue Downward Trend
Commercial production remained under pressure in Q4, totaling 586 shoot days, a 23.2 percent drop from the same quarter last year and 35.3 percent below the five-year average. Unlike scripted film and television, commercials are not eligible for state tax incentives, leaving the category more exposed to cost pressures and out-of-state competition.
FilmLA’s broad “Other” category, which includes still photography, documentaries, student films, music videos, and short-form digital content, posted 2,319 shoot days in Q4, down 20.4 percent year over year and 27.3 percent below the five-year average.
A Transitional Moment for Los Angeles Production
FilmLA leadership emphasized that 2025 should be viewed as a transitional year rather than a referendum on the long-term viability of production in Los Angeles. With dozens of incentivized projects approved but not yet in production, the organization expects increased activity as those shoots begin in 2026.
FilmLA also pointed to ongoing collaboration with labor groups, independent filmmakers, and government officials to make filming in the region more accessible, affordable, and efficient.
The data paints a clear picture: Los Angeles production has not yet rebounded, but the groundwork for recovery is being laid. Whether that recovery accelerates in 2026 will depend on how quickly incentivized projects move forward and whether additional policy measures can slow the steady outflow of production to other states and countries.
For now, the industry remains in a holding pattern. Filming is not fully back, but the call sheets are starting to stack up.
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