Entertainment industry professionals have recently launched a new petition urging production crews to stay in Los Angeles, as they are concerned that the recent deadly wildfires in Los Angeles may lead to a mass exodus of film and television projects.
The initiative, named “Stay in L.A.,” was jointly launched by CA United, a grassroots alliance of over 5,000 California residents, and The Union Solidarity Coalition, a group of writers and directors supporting crew members. As of Sunday, the petition has garnered over 13,000 signatures, including actors, writers, and filmmakers.
Supporters of the petition include LeVar Burton, host of “Reading Rainbow,” Julie Plec, co-creator of “The Vampire Diaries,” and Alison Brie, actress from “Mad Men.”
“As film and television professionals and concerned citizens of Los Angeles, we wrote this petition following the Eaton Fire, Hughes Fire, and Palisades Fire,” the petition stated. “We were already deeply concerned about the livelihoods of actors and crew members in the Los Angeles area, not to mention the countless small businesses suffering losses due to film and TV productions relocating out of state and overseas.”
The Hughes Fire is the latest wildfire to spread to Los Angeles County.
This fire broke out near Castaic Lake on January 22. According to updated information from the California Fire Department as of January 26, the Hughes Fire has burned over 10,000 acres with a containment rate of 92%.
Both the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire started on January 7. The former erupted in the celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades, burning over 23,400 acres of land with an 87% containment rate to date; while the latter was sparked near Altadena north of Pasadena, with over 14,000 acres burned and a 95% containment rate.
According to reports from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, 28 people have died in the fires, a number that may increase as search and rescue operations continue.
The petition stated, “The fires have exacerbated an already dire situation. We fear that our beloved city may lose its most precious resource—its people.” “We need a significant number of new jobs to help rebuild our beloved city and ensure that Los Angeles can be a thriving place for craftsmen, film industry workers, and businesses in the future.”
These fires have already forced many film and TV productions to halt filming.
“Stay in L.A.” pointed out on Instagram that film and TV productions in Los Angeles are steadily dwindling, heading towards emerging competitive markets. The account shared on the 23rd, “The numbers are disheartening.” “Now, post-fires, the situation in Los Angeles has worsened. Without jobs here, people cannot afford to live.”
The joint FilmLA office of the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County reported a decrease in local film and television projects last year.
The nonprofit organization stated in a press release on January 15 that Los Angeles experienced the second-lowest number of filming days in history in 2024, only better than the situation in 2020 when film and TV production almost entirely ceased due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the Los Angeles post-disaster reconstruction efforts, the petition is calling on California and local lawmakers, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, to remove future restrictions on tax incentives for film and TV projects shot in Hollywood for the next three years.
Currently, California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program provides a 20% to 25% tax credit for production costs and other qualifying expenditures for filming within the state.
The $1.55 billion incentive also offers an additional 5% or 10% tax credit for cross-district filming, visual effects work, and hiring local labor.
The petition also urges film and streaming companies to commit to increasing local filming in Los Angeles by at least 10% over the next three years to “demonstrate their support for the city’s reconstruction and long-term investment in the Los Angeles workforce.”
It emphasizes, “#StayinLA. When (entertainment) productions stay in Los Angeles, every industry benefits—restaurants, retail stores, hair salons, hotels, and more.”
According to data from the CA Production Coalition, on-location filming brings in an average of $670,000 in daily revenue and creates 1,500 job opportunities. For every $1 invested in incentivizing film and TV production to stay in California, it generates $24.40 in new economic activity for all local businesses, $8.60 in wages and labor income, and $16.14 in GDP growth.
The group wrote online, “We urge lawmakers and film/TV companies to take urgent measures to bring film and TV production back to Los Angeles, giving Angelenos a chance at recovery.”
“This is a non-partisan issue that affects every industry in our city. When we film in Los Angeles, we create job opportunities, support small businesses, and boost the economy of the entire region.”