As the City of Los Angeles prepares to vote on a five-year renewal of its contract with FilmLA, the grassroots coalition Stay in L.A. and California United is calling for serious changes before any extension is granted. The group will hold a press conference on Friday, June 20, at 9:15 a.m. at Los Angeles City Hall, urging leaders to delay approval until key reforms are implemented.
Producer and public policy strategist Kate Holguín will speak at the event, alongside IATSE 706 legislative organizer and makeup artist Cale Thomas, showrunner and community organizer Noelle Stehman, and workers’ rights advocate Pamala Buzick Kim.
The coalition argues that the current agreement with FilmLA—an organization responsible for coordinating filming permits across the city—no longer accurately reflects the realities of the post-pandemic, streaming-era production landscape. They are urging the City to follow the County of Los Angeles’ lead by opting for a short-term extension while opening up a competitive bidding process. This, they say, would bring much-needed transparency, oversight, and the opportunity for real improvement.
One major concern is the outdated one-size-fits-all permit model. Commercial shoots, social campaigns, and short-form content now dominate the Los Angeles production economy. Still, these faster, leaner projects are burdened by the same permitting structure as large-scale studio features. Reform advocates are calling for a more responsive, tiered system that reflects the speed, budget, and scale of modern-day filmmaking.
Accountability is another sticking point. Stay in L.A. and California United want performance-based metrics built into FilmLA’s next agreement. Metrics such as total permitted shoot days and in-state job creation should determine whether FilmLA or any future vendor is meeting the mark—not just bureaucratic box-checking.
Since 2010, the City has renewed FilmLA’s contract four times with little public debate. But the industry has changed. Many workers have not returned to steady employment since the COVID shutdown. The Altadena and Palisades fires caused further disruption, and the rise of streaming platforms has upended old business models. Los Angeles can no longer afford to rely on an outdated system while other cities adapt and compete.
The press conference aims to spotlight the urgent need for reform, not just renewal. Stay in L.A. and California United believe this is a pivotal moment for the City to rethink how it supports one of its most vital and iconic industries.
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