Film and television production in Los Angeles has dropped to one of its lowest points in modern history, according to Luminate’s “From Peak TV to Empty Lots” report. Following the end of the so‑called Peak TV era and the aftershocks of the 2023 labor strikes, production in the city in 2024 hit its second-lowest annual level on record, just above 2020, and early 2025 data points to an even deeper decline. In Q1 2025, only 24 of the 87 scripted film and TV projects produced in the U.S. filmed at least partly in Los Angeles, while 46% of all titles began production entirely outside the country.
The employment impact has been severe. The average number of film and TV production jobs in California in Q1 2025 was 92,000 — down 35% from 2022 and nearly 20% lower than a decade ago. Stage occupancy in the region, which held steady between 93% and 95% annually from 2018 to 2021, fell sharply to 63% in 2024. The report warns that rising labor and materials costs — likely to be compounded by new tariffs under the Trump administration — will continue pushing projects out of California.
The downturn in Los Angeles mirrors a broader contraction in U.S. television output. U.S.-produced series premieres in Q1 2025 declined 27% from the same quarter in 2024 and 42% compared with 2022. Cable has been hit hardest, with more than a 50% drop in premieres since 2022. Even streaming platforms have significantly reduced their release slates: Netflix dropped from 41 U.S. series premieres in Q1 2022 to just 29 in Q1 2025, while Disney+ fell from 15 to four over the same period.
Unscripted entertainment is also feeling the squeeze. Between 2022 and 2024, U.S. production of reality and other unscripted formats fell nearly 25%, driven by corporate consolidation, budget cuts, and a shift to filming major international franchises abroad. Examples include “Squid Game: The Challenge” shot in the UK and “Beast Games” filmed in Canada. Los Angeles shooting days for unscripted content have declined at rates similar to scripted productions.
On the global stage, non‑U.S. productions — both English and non‑English language — have steadily grown their share of output. For Netflix, more than half of all series premieres since 2022 have originated from international markets, with Asia playing a leading role. This shift reflects both strategic global content expansion and the need to meet local content quotas in certain territories.
Luminate notes that competition for productions has intensified, with destinations like the UK, Canada, and Australia offering increasingly generous tax incentives without annual or per‑project caps — a major advantage for $100 million‑plus tentpoles. Between 2018 and 2025, of the 155 big-budget films released or slated for release, only 34 filmed any portion in Los Angeles, and very few shot entirely in the city. In contrast, independent films under $10 million show more willingness to film locally, presenting a potential growth area if tax burdens for this segment are eased.
The report concludes that reversing the production exodus will require a multifaceted approach combining competitive incentives, infrastructure investment, and cost containment measures. Until then, the fact that nearly half of U.S. series and films are being shot abroad leaves Los Angeles facing a structural challenge that, if unaddressed, could cement a “new normal” of empty lots and missed opportunities.
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