Filming activity in the greater Los Angeles area continued to decline in the second quarter of 2026 despite ongoing tax incentives designed to attract production, according to recent data from FilmLA, a nonprofit monitoring local shoots.
Between April and June, total shoot days in the region dropped nearly 13% compared to the same period last year, falling to 4,711 days. This figure also represents a 36% decrease against the five-year quarterly average. Both feature film and television productions saw significant reductions, with feature film shoots decreasing by 20% and television production declining by 30% year-over-year.
Tax-incentivized projects, however, accounted for a growing share of local filming. Among feature films, roughly one-third of the 443 shoot days during the quarter involved productions benefiting from tax credits. In television, about 28% of the 1,607 shoot days were from projects that received state incentives, particularly in drama and comedy genres.
Within television, shoot days for dramas dropped 6.4% to 732, with just over 38% of those involving tax-incentivized productions. Comedy production saw a steep 43% decline to 57 days, although 21 of those were credited projects. FilmLA noted that many comedy productions based on stage plays are not included in these figures.
Local officials and industry representatives emphasized the role of these incentives in supporting production. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass pointed to the data as evidence that tax credits are beginning to boost filming in the region. FilmLA Chief Executive Denise Gutches highlighted the importance of attracting scripted television, which supports a large number of industry jobs, as a critical element in revitalizing the local production economy.
Despite gains among incentivized projects, other categories have faced sharp declines. Reality television shoot days fell 40% to 676 compared to the previous year. Although some large-scale competition shows qualify for the tax credit program, many other reality productions remain ineligible, limiting their local filming activity.
Commercial shoots also declined substantially, with a nearly 22% drop in the second quarter to 543 days. This segment is down 46% compared to its five-year average. Conversely, the "other" category—comprising student films, still photography, documentaries, music videos, and online content—saw a 10% increase to 2,118 shoot days. Growth in online content, particularly, rose 47%, while short films and documentaries experienced moderate gains.
The data underscores the continuing challenges faced by the Los Angeles filming industry, even as targeted incentives foster growth in certain segments.