Governor Newsom just announced 38 new film projects getting tax credits through California’s expanded Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The slate includes The Simpsons Movie 2, a new DreamWorks Animation feature, and a mix of big-budget and indie productions. For the first time ever, animated features are eligible. The whole package is projected to bring $796 million in economic activity to the state.
As someone who’s been producing in LA for over a decade, this is the kind of news that actually matters on the ground level. When big productions stay in California instead of running to Georgia or the UK, the entire ecosystem benefits. Crew stays employed. Rental houses stay busy. Post facilities keep their doors open. It’s not just about the tentpole movies — it’s about the infrastructure that supports every shoot in the city, including ours.
The animated feature eligibility is a smart move. Animation has been leaving California for years because the incentive math didn’t work. Studios were shipping work to Vancouver and Montreal. Opening the door to animation keeps those jobs here and brings new money into the program.
But here’s the thing — tax credits help the big players. For smaller production companies like Tigheland, the real impact is indirect. When a show like Baywatch Revival sets up at Venice Beach with $21 million in credits, it creates demand for local crew, equipment, and facilities. That demand keeps the talent pool deep. When we need a gaffer or a colorist on short notice for a commercial shoot, those people are available because the bigger productions keep them in LA year-round.
The flip side is that LA production has been in rough shape. TV shoot days ended 2025 more than 50% below the five-year average. Features dropped over 30%. The new permit pilot program launching April 27 — reduced-cost permits for low-impact shoots — is another step in the right direction, but it’s going to take more than permits and credits to bring production back to where it was.
What would actually help? Faster permitting turnaround. Less red tape with city departments. Better coordination between LADOT, LAPD, and FilmLA. The Baywatch situation — where a major production with serious backing still ran into complaints and bureaucratic headaches at Venice Beach — tells you everything about where the real friction is.
Still, 38 projects is 38 projects. That’s real money coming into the state, real jobs for crew, and real momentum for an industry that’s been struggling. We’ll take it.
If you’re a brand looking to shoot in LA and want a team that knows how to navigate production here, get in touch.
