L.A. Mayor Vows to Cut Red Tape and Make It Easier to Shoot Movies and Shows In the City

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LA Mayor Karen Bass is pushing forward initiatives to simplify movie and TV production within Los Angeles, responding to growing calls for action from policymakers regarding the matter of “runaway production” – when productions leave the city to film elsewhere.

Bass advocates for a decrease in city employees involved in filming and enhances opportunities for production crews to access iconic Los Angeles landmarks such as the Griffith Observatory, the Central Public Library, and the Port of Los Angeles, through an executive order he signed at a press conference held at SAG-AFTRA’s L.A. headquarters on Tuesday.

At a press conference at SAG-AFTRA’s L.A. headquarters on Tuesday, Bass proposed cutting down the city staff members involved in filming and making it easier for production crews to access famous Los Angeles sites like the Griffith Observatory, the Central Public Library, and the Port of Los Angeles by signing an executive order.

Or even more concisely:

At a press conference on Tuesday, Bass signed an executive order to reduce city staffers on film shoots and grant easier access for crews to LA icons like the Griffith Observatory, Central Public Library, and Port of Los Angeles.

Immediately enforce a review of all city assets to determine if they can be utilized by film crews as locations, parking spaces, or for other purposes. Gather feedback on how to allow night-time scouting for these locations owned by the city.

Or simply:

Review and assess our city assets for potential use by film crews during day and night hours, and offer suggestions on how this can be facilitated for city-owned locations.

Bass declared that the City is taking daring steps to bolster our traditional industry. By ensuring entertainment continues to be produced in L.A., we’re preserving well-paying jobs here, which is what we’re committed to achieving. The hardworking individuals of Los Angeles are relying on us for this.

Additionally, it necessitates regular meetings between the police, fire departments, as well as other relevant entities, such as the mayor’s office and FilmLA (industry stakeholders), on a monthly basis to address any persistent problems associated with film shoots. These departments are instructed to inform the mayor’s office and FilmLA about any upcoming or potential infrastructure projects that might affect filming.

In a statement made at SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday, Bass acknowledged concerns within the film industry regarding excessive “red tape” and bureaucratic processes when filming in the city. This new order is designed to address these issues.

The action is being taken following the Los Angeles City Council’s approval of a proposal written by Adrin Nazarian in late April, which encouraged city departments to suggest changes to improve the city’s film permit process.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Nazarian stated that Los Angeles became well-known due to the entertainment industry. However, he noted that over the past 30-40 years, the city has been somewhat complacent, allowing film and television production to move to other states and countries. Essentially, his point is that we just need to maintain our pace with the rest of the world.

At the moment, state legislators are examining proposals to boost California’s film and TV tax credit scheme. This comes after Governor Gavin Newsom suggested increasing the limit of the state’s program from $330 million to $750 million. In simpler terms, they are looking at bills that could potentially expand the California tax credit program for films and television productions, as proposed by Governor Newsom who wants to nearly double the current cap.

When inquired about whether she believed the $750 million plan could get approved with the state experiencing a $12 billion deficit, Bass suggested that the amount might be scaled down. Nonetheless, she maintained her viewpoint that “people understand $700 million as a worthwhile investment.

More to come.

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2025-05-20 21:55