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LA sound stages yet to rebound after Hollywood strikes
Crew sets up cameras for the filming a commercial on-location in Los Angeles.
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Just 63% of available sound stage space was used in 2024, down 6% from the previous year, according to a report from FilmLA, the film office for the city and county of Los Angeles.
The context: From 2016 to 2022, sound stage occupancy rates were at 90% or higher, but the dual Hollywood strikes in 2023 hampered local production. That year, the use of local sound stages fell sharply to 69%.
Where production is going: Other markets with competitive tax rates and lower production costs have siphoned away business from Hollywood. The FilmLA report found that sound stages in places such as the United Kingdom, New York, Georgia and Ontario, Canada, have all more than doubled their production capacity since 2020.
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The state’s plan to address this: Gov. Gavin Newsom is looking to double the amount of tax credits granted to the film industry to $750 million dollars annually. The legislature last expanded this amount in 2014.
What FilmLA says: “We’re supportive of state leaders’ interest in expanding California’s film incentive program, and we’re engaged in ongoing conversation with city and county partners about ways to improve the local filming environment,” FilmLA spokesperson Philip Sokoloski said in a statement.
About the data: FilmLA surveyed 17 studios in L.A., which account for more than 87% of the local market. The participants include Disney, Fox, Universal, Sony and Warner Bros.
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