{"id":4359,"date":"2025-06-22T04:49:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T04:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/4359\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T04:49:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T04:49:17","slug":"stay-in-la-pushes-city-to-streamline-production-permits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/4359\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay in LA Pushes City to Streamline Production Permits"},"content":{"rendered":"

On June 20, city of Los Angeles<\/a> officials controversially granted a 5-year extension<\/a> to its contract with FilmLA, the organization that handles the film<\/a> and television permitting process for the city. The grassroots organization Stay in LA<\/a> \u2014\u00a0which formed in January to help advocate for increased production in L.A. \u2014\u00a0was not in favor of a long-term agreement, instead pushing for a shorter extension and negotiating what it believes are much needed reforms to the permitting process. In the struggle to boost industry activity within the city, cutting red tape required to shoot in Los Angeles has been a focus of Stay in LA<\/a>, which it says includes unnecessary fees, logistical hurdles, and inconsistent safety regulations.<\/p>\n

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Dozens of film and television professionals, all a part of the organization, appeared at the meeting in an attempt to get the city to consider a review of the process. <\/p>\n

\u201cToday, in spite of the legal obstacles presented in making amendments to FilmLA\u2019s contract renewal, I am reminded that without public engagement, policies are accepted without challenge or question and when we collectively shine the light at the cracks that result in the joblessness or under-employment our L.A. production and creative community at large faces, we make progress toward change,\u201d freelance commercial producer Marie Dunaway said in a statement to IndieWire. \u201cThat\u2019s what showing out today did and stakeholders, union leaders, government, and non-government entities are on notice that all eyes are on watch in how things play out moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Councilmember Adrin Nazarian released a statement following the meeting, saying that L.A. officials were faced with \u201ctwo unacceptable choices\u201d \u2014\u00a0either renewing the FilmLA contract or letting the program lapse entirely, which would have left L.A. with no permitting authority at all. \u201cSuch a lapse in permitting would put a hold on all production in the city, doing irreparable damage to an industry that is already in crisis,\u201d Nazarian said. \u201cI have received FilmLA\u2019s commitment to modifying the contract within their first year and I intend to come back with recommendations for potential amendments.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles City Council has previously made moves aimed at cutting permitting red tape<\/a>, with support from Mayor Karen Bass \u2014\u00a0who directed the city to make the process easier just last month.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping entertainment production in L.A. means keeping good-paying jobs in L.A., and that\u2019s what we are fighting for,\u201d Bass said in May<\/a>. \u201cI am taking action alongside Councilmember Adrin Nazarian to make sure L.A. is always the best place for film and TV<\/a> production while we continue to champion making California\u2019s production tax credit more powerful. Hard working people across Los Angeles are counting on us.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Stay in LA members are not content to just trust that the changes will be made. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe permitting system works for the few,\u201d Stay in LA co-founder Pamela Buzick Kim said to IndieWire. \u201cThe industry is in need of dire changes now. L.A. needs to become the easiest place to shoot. That\u2019s it. Bottom line. Easing the permitting process and prices is only one of the things that needs to shift.\u00a0We need L.A. cities, town councils, and neighbors to welcome production.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, the city of Los Angeles is but one component in the fight to increase production throughout what the collective culture thinks of as Hollywood. Many of the most famous studios are actually based in other municipalities within Los Angeles County. Sony is in Culver City, for instance, and Warner Bros. is in Burbank. On June 23, the city of West Hollywood \u2014\u00a0which contains the historic studio facility The Lot, as well as popular locations like the famed Sunset Strip \u2014\u00a0will review an item aimed at helping local production.<\/p>\n

\u201cWest Hollywood is proud to reaffirm its commitment to being a film-friendly city,\u201d West Hollywood Councilmember Danny Hang told IndieWire. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a streamlined permit process, competitive incentives for low-impact shoots, and a film office that acts like a concierge for productions. The city\u2019s film office provides comprehensive, responsive support for productions of all sizes, helping to attract high profile projects like \u2018Daisy Jones & the Six,\u2019 \u2018Hacks,\u2019 \u2018Vanderpump Rules,\u2019 and \u2018Selling Sunset.\u2019 We\u2019re also partnering with industry leaders and backing state legislation to keep filming local. Whether it\u2019s TV, film, or streaming, WeHo is ready for lights, camera, and action.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bigger fight for increased production in the county that largely defined the motion picture and television industries, however, is in the California state legislature. Currently, just about $330 million in production tax credits<\/a> is doled out annually, a figure that was a big help 16 years ago when it was first instituted<\/a>, but has since been outpaced by the generous tax breaks available in other states, particularly Georgia<\/a>, which has no cap on film and television tax incentives. <\/p>\n

A proposal presented by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year raises the the cap to $750 million annually<\/a>. A version of Newsom\u2019s proposal passed<\/a> the state houses with many incentives, including an increase in tax credit percentages from 20% to 35%, but the exact figure of $750 million was not specified. Stay in LA<\/a> said this needs \u201cto be added and enacted to the \u2018budget trailer\u2019 bill by July 1.\u201d Several prominent Hollywood power players, including director Patty Jenkins and writer\/producer Jonathan Nolan, traveled to the state\u2019s capital city this month<\/a> to advocate not only for the increased tax incentives to be passed, but for them to be implemented as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe studios don\u2019t care where they do the work. They\u2019ll do it anywhere,\u201d State Sen. Ben Allen said a film and TV town industry town hall in April<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re still producing incredible shows and films, they\u2019re just doing it elsewhere, and what a lot of our colleagues don\u2019t understand is that this is a middle class, working class problem. The studio heads are going to bed in Bel Air no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thousands of Angelenos who rely on the film and television industry for their livelihood will be watching carefully,\u201d Nazarian said following the June 20 Los Angeles city meeting.<\/p>\n