The new “Stay in LA” campaign that we launched in August 2023. Its purpose is to jumpstart Hollywood by encouraging inexpensive filming back to Los Angeles. Join us to make the campaign an effective, powerful grassroots advocacy campaign for equity and justice. It’s a move meant to address the significant challenges that the local film industry is up against, such as a drop in production due to the pandemic, strikes, and increasing costs.
Using social media as its only channel, the campaign has brought in major buzz. The new Instagram account, created in January, has already gained more than 11,000 followers. This online presence allows them to greatly widen the scope of their message, mobilizing support on a massive scale for their cause.
The campaign’s objectives include collaborating with the City Council to streamline municipal legislation that reduces regulations, permitting requirements, and associated fees. These initiatives, among a host of others, are intended to make Los Angeles a more competitive place for filming. Furthermore, the campaign is advocating for studios to return productions to the city, emphasizing the need for renewed investment in Hollywood after recent declines in activity.
The campaign focuses on an online petition. Further, it requires that the tax incentive for Los Angeles-area productions be uncapped for a three-year period. This effort aligns with Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to increase the state’s film tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million, aiming to attract more projects to California. The petition calls on studios and streamers to increase their on-the-ground production efforts. Specifically, it asks for at least a 10% increase.
Since its launch last week, the petition has already collected over 22,000 signatures. It has been propelled by support from celebrity A-listers such as Keanu Reeves, Zooey Deschanel and Kevin Bacon. Their participation amply demonstrates what can happen through a powerful alliance between local industry workers and celebrities advocating for a robust state or local film economy.
The campaign officially launched at its very first public rally right on location at SirReel Studios in Sun Valley, Los Angeles. More than 1,000 film and television industry workers signed a pact to pledge their support. This event was truly a moment of victory for the local grassroots movement that has been advocating for more investment and more Hollywood production.
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman underscored the significance of this effort with her comment,
“We’re not asking for a handout. We’re asking for the chance to work.”
The hurdles now facing Los Angeles have led a number of those in the industry to re-evaluate their prospects of a future in the city. Local filmmaker Shirletha Jordan shared about her fear of having to leave California, stating, “
“I don’t want to move back home [to Atlanta]. I made my way here to live in California.”
The “Stay in LA” campaign goes straight after tax incentives and production commitments. It hopes to remove the barriers that keep production companies from producing. The campaign directly lobbies for legislative changes that make regulations more clear and consistent. It cuts punitive fees, so it is a friendlier place to film.
The California Film Commission recently approved an unprecedented 51 film projects to receive tax incentives. This is the biggest round of awards ever in the state’s history! This achievement marks a significant step forward in the state’s commitment to bringing the film industry back home and reinvigorating local productions.
As the “Stay in LA” campaign continues to grow, the fate of Hollywood filmmaking will likely be determined in the coming months. Now, industry workers, Hollywood celebrities and local government are teaming up—literally. Together, they’re working to return Los Angeles to its position as the world’s premier destination for film and television production.