A group of campaigners looking to bolster production across Los Angeles have unveiled a set of reforms that they hope will make the city more “film-friendly”.
Stay in LA has released eight “targeted” permitting reforms spanning fire, police, recreation & parks, Department of Transportation and the City Council that would help reduce costs for small and mid-sized productions.
“They address unnecessary costs, outdated rules, and structural inefficiencies. Together, these changes would make Los Angeles more film-friendly, while maintaining public safety and community balance,” the group noted.
The recommendations come from 50 hours of StayinLA’s on-the-ground research and conversations with location managers, city departments, key staffers from the Mayor’s and City Council offices, and FilmLA.
They noted that while the major studios can “absorb” the permitting costs, smaller productions can’t, which does have a knock-on effect across the industry. They also point to the fact that smaller productions often help develop the “next generation of crew, producers, and creative talent”.
The recommendations comes after West Hollywood began exploring lowering or waiving fees altogether to attract more production and see if volume offsets the loss and a new state tax credit system is poised to bring more work back to California.
This campaigned was supported by Julie Plec, Nick Antosca, Pamala Buzick Kim, Noelle Stehman, Cale Thomas, Zack Pulliam, Christopher Sadler, Cori Glazer, A.J. Del Cueto, Rufus Burnham, Meiyee Apple Tam, Michael Sucsy, April Jones, Wes Bailey, Diego Mariscal, Christopher Racster, James Babbin, Ron Lydick and Adrian Casas.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Fire (LAFD)
1. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Spot Check Fee for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot waiving the spot check fee for low-impact shoots, defined as productions with 20 or fewer people and no pyrotechnics, special effects, or drones. Despite its name, this fee is not a safety inspection but a cost-recovery charge for labor and materials required to review fire-related activity. Waiving it would reduce barriers for smaller productions while allowing the City to measure impact and volume.2. Ensure Leadership Continuity in the LAFD Film Unit
Unlike LAPD and Recreation & Parks, where staff remain in place for years and build deep expertise and relationships, LAFD rotates the Film Unit captain every three years under union rules. This turnover erases institutional knowledge, disrupts relationships, and leads to inconsistent policy enforcement. The City should explore transferring day-to-day Film Unit responsibilities to a civilian employee under the direction of a sworn Fire Captain, ensuring both safety and continuity over time.Police (LAFD)
3. Create a Standing Process to Revisit and Remove Outdated Restrictions
LAPD and FilmLA maintain internal restrictions on locations when areas become unsafe or overloaded with filming. These are different from special conditions, which require Council action. These restrictions are intended to be flexible and removable, yet they are only revisited sporadically. The City should require LAPD and FilmLA to conduct regular reviews of restrictions tied to a clear timeline, where they must either be renewed with justification or automatically expire. The Mayor’s Film Liaison office should ensure this process happens consistently.Recreation & Parks (RAP)
4. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Location Fees for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating location and parking fees for low-impact shoots to measure impact and volume. Work with RAP to define what qualifies as low-impact (e.g. 20 or fewer crew members and no pyrotechnics, special effects, or drones, which is how Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority defines low-impact).5. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Admin Fee for Special Facilities
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating the $150 RAP admin surcharge added on top of already higher fees for special fees to measure impact and volume.Department of Transportation (DOT)
6. Posting Requirements: Align with State Minimum of 24 Hours
DOT requires 48 business hours for posting, even though the state only requires 24. DOT argues this gives the community more notice, but because weekends don’t count and DOT staff hours differ from standard office hours, the 48-hour rule creates unnecessary delays. Aligning with the 24-hour state minimum would still balance community use while reducing permitting friction.7. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Lane Closure Fee for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating lane closure fee for low-impact shoots. Work with DOT and LAPD to define what qualifies as low-impact (e.g. 20 or fewer people and no filming activity on the street). This would reduce barriers for smaller productions while allowing the City to measure impact and volume.Los Angeles City Council
8. Create a Standing Process to Revisit and Remove Outdated Special Conditions
Special conditions set by council members often remain long after the original issue has passed, limiting production without improving community outcomes. The City should require regular review of these conditions with FilmLA at set intervals –for example, midway through each councilmember’s term every two years. Reviews should ensure special conditions reflect a balance between community needs and production, rather than one-off complaints. FilmLA, in coordination with City Council, should also be tasked with standardizing conditions across districts and making clear commitments so that new special conditions are rarely needed.
