With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
California faces stiff competition from other states and their film tax incentives
The Warner Bros. lot.
(
Valerie Macon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Topline:
As other states and countries offer outsized tax incentives for productions, California and Los Angeles are being pummeled in the battle for film and TV shoots as Hollywood’s studio lots go deserted.
Why it matters: Los Angeles’ status as the home of the entertainment industry draws tourists and gives the city a level of prestige, but far more important than that are the financial implications of being the film and TV capital of the world. Every dollar allocated in the California Film Commission generates $24.40 in economic activity. With productions looking to other states, as well as international locales, the upheaval for the industry’s workers in L.A. is a significant issue.
How bad is it: Though films have been shooting away from L.A. for some time now, TV productions have ramped up their filming outside of Hollywood, too. During last summer’s strikes, many productions moved abroad and stayed there. For example, three big series — Wednesday, The Night Agent and Apples Never Fall — have moved to Ireland, Vancouver and Australia, respectively.
Sponsored message
The fight back: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has assembled an Entertainment Industry Cabinet dedicated to supporting Hollywood and to combat “production leakage." She’s also putting together a task force of film liaisons from various city departments that will meet quarterly. But many in the industry worry about the optics of L.A. raising its tax incentive funding, out of fear it’d signal a benefit to corporations and their wealthy executives, not workers.
For more... read the full story on The Ankler.
This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
