During L.A. Wildfires, Hollywood Studio Lots Pause As Workers Scramble

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Even though countless homes and businesses have been damaged throughout the Southland, it seems that central business districts in Los Angeles have somehow escaped the catastrophic damage inflicted by the historic wildfires in the region.

Among the more than 5,000 structures destroyed by the fires, you won’t find the key soundstages where most TV and film productions in Los Angeles take place. Currently, these productions have been halted, but there’s an expectation they will resume soon.

On Wednesday evening, the Sunset Fire forced evacuation orders in Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills, with some soundstages being at risk. Thankfully, this fire is now subsiding as firefighters have made significant progress overnight, pushing it back. If left unchecked, the fire could have reached important production facilities like Radford Studio Center and Sunset Gower Studios, along with famous landmarks such as TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, and the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.

In the western region, stretching from Santa Monica to Malibu, the Palisades Fire has become the most devastating natural calamity ever recorded in the county’s history. Now on its third day and still uncontained, this fire has burned through over 17,000 acres, destroying numerous structures along the way. On Tuesday night, it tragically consumed Palisades Charter High School, a popular filming location that has been featured in films such as Brian De Palma’s 1976 horror movie “Carrie”, the remake of “Freaky Friday” from 2003, the TV series “Teen Wolf”, Nima Nourizadeh’s 2012 film “Project X”, and the 2001 teen romantic comedy “Crazy/Beautiful”.

To the northeast lies the ongoing Eaton Fire, relentlessly moving through the densely populated Altadena-Pasadena region. Regrettably, five lives have been lost, and over a thousand structures have sustained damage. Haven Studios in Glendale, known for hosting The Price Is Right, currently falls within the evacuation zone, but it appears to be safe for now.

Due to wildfires, many TV shows have halted production. The main reasons are poor air quality and the need to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. Some of the affected productions are ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” all produced by 20th Television, and “The Rookie,” produced by Lionsgate TV and 20th. The talk show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” rarely leaves Hollywood’s El Capitan for filming, while “Grey’s Anatomy” films its indoor scenes at Prospect Studios in Los Feliz. If the Sunset Fire had spread east towards Griffith Park, it could have potentially threatened Prospect Studios, but thankfully, the blaze is no longer a threat. “The Rookie,” on the other hand, had to cancel a scheduled location shoot in Vernon.

As a devoted fan, I wanted to share that the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank, where hit shows like ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” The CW’s “All American,” and Max’s “The Pitt” are filmed, will be closed on Wednesday. These beloved productions have been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The planned resumption of production for season 2 of the show “Fallout”, which qualifies for a $25 million tax credit when filmed in California, is tentatively set for this coming Friday in Santa Clarita. Other series such as Max’s “Hacks”, NBC’s “Happy’s Place”, “Suits: L.A.”, Apple TV+’s “Loot”, and Peacock’s “Ted”, all under Universal Studio Group, are also preparing to resume filming in Los Angeles after a pause. However, the exact timing for resuming production is still flexible, as decisions regarding these projects are being made individually by Universal along with producers on a case-by-case basis. Meanwhile, production for Sony’s “S.W.A.T.” and “Spider Noir” has been temporarily halted.

Filming was temporarily halted due to several factors, including active fires that required immediate attention from firefighters, police, and paramedics who usually assist in production. The L.A. County Fire Department instructed film offices to revoke permits for filming in Altadena, La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, and certain areas of Pasadena. Moreover, the L.A. County Parks and Recreation Department postponed all events in county parks until January 14. This suspension may be lifted if fire conditions improve by then.

At present, there are no ongoing filming projects for Amazon or Universal on the Los Angeles scene, whereas Netflix productions remain unaffected, as reported by individuals knowledgeable about the situation.

In light of the incredible work being done by our local firefighters, police officers, and paramedics during these challenging times, we want to inform the filmmaking community that the usual resources provided for film production may be limited during the declared State of Emergency,” said FilmLA in a statement.

Permits for filming in Malibu, situated adjacent to the scorched Palisades area, have not been halted as of Wednesday, according to Kimberly Nilsson, the permit supervisor for this region and Agoura Hills. She pointed out that January is typically a quiet period for film production. “Things are taken one day at a time,” she noted. “The weather conditions largely depend on the wind.

Malibu primarily serves as a venue for filming television productions, particularly beach scenes, commercials, and fashion photo shoots when needed.

Although the prospect of resuming filming in Los Angeles is encouraging, it’s important to note that these production pauses occur during a unique downturn in local filming activity. This is due to the fact that studios are more frequently choosing to film abroad to capitalize on tax incentives offered in other regions.

A key topic to consider: The possibility of talent and crew members leaving L.A., exacerbating its loss of production share. Notably, several figures from the entertainment industry have lost their homes due to wildfires, such as Billy Crystal, Cary Elwes, Mandy Moore, Anna Faris, James Woods, Diane Warren, and Paris Hilton, among others. A proposed plan aims to significantly increase California’s current cap for a program that grants tax breaks to producers from $330 million annually to $750 million. This expansion is expected to limit runaway production. By 2025, this increased subsidy, which would make California’s incentive the second most generous offered by any state only after Georgia, could distribute up to $3.75 billion in tax credits to the film and TV industry over a five-year period.

Colleen Bell, head of the California Film Commission, stated that the entertainment sector, which is an integral part of this area, is encountering major difficulties due to productions being suspended, facilities being at risk, and iconic sites being harmed. These fires serve as a reminder of the value of unity and strength during hardships, as they emphasize the essence of community in times of crisis.

Initial calculations suggest that the damage from the wildfires could exceed $50 billion, placing these fires among the most destructive in the state’s history. According to AccuWeather, this catastrophic cost is primarily due to the destruction of densely populated and high-priced real estate located in the Palisades area.

Katie Kilkenny and Rick Porter contributed to this report.

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2025-01-10 02:55