Podcast Host Blasts California’s Declining Film Production Landscape

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Actor Rob Lowe expressed deep frustration with the decline of film and television production in California during a recent episode of his podcast. Lowe, who co-hosts with Adam Scott, criticized state leadership’s handling of a massive exodus of domestic productions over the past few years, calling it “criminal.”

“It’s cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox by the sound stages and do it there,” Lowe said, discussing his game show, The Floor, which is filmed at Ardmore Studios outside of Dublin.

Scott, surprised by the revelation, added, “Nothing shoots in Los Angeles anymore,” questioning whether their former show, Parks and Recreation, would even be filmed in the city if it were created today. “Do you think if we shot Parks right now, we’d be in Budapest?” he asked, to which Lowe responded, “One-hundred percent we would be. We’d be in Budapest.”

These statements reflect a larger trend in California’s film industry. According to FilmLA, 2024 marked the second-least productive year for Los Angeles production, dipping over 30 percent compared to five-year averages, following only the pandemic-impacted year of 2020.

Multiple factors have contributed to this shrinking industry, prompting state lawmakers to seek solutions. During the podcast, Lowe pointed out, “There are no tax credits [in California].” He emphasized that other regions offer up to 40 percent in incentives, alongside various benefits that California lacks. “It’s criminal what California and L.A. have let happen — it’s criminal. Everybody should be fired,” he added.

Contrary to Lowe’s assertions, California does have a tax incentive program, currently valued at $330 million annually. Last week, the state approved incentives for 51 projects, marking a record number of production tax credit approvals.

However, television producers have long complained that the allocated funds are diminishing. Many successful projects receive credits year after year, leaving fewer incentives available for new programs, leading to application cycles where only a handful of new shows qualify.

A report by the California Film Commission indicated that from 2015 to 2020, nearly 50 percent of the 312 productions that failed to meet qualification for the tax credit moved out of state, resulting in the loss of approximately 28,000 jobs and $7.7 billion in economic impact.

The competition has intensified as states like Louisiana and Georgia offer attractive tax incentives, along with New Jersey, Nevada, and Utah recently entering the fray. Furthermore, international locations, particularly Canadian provinces and the UK, are increasing their own production incentives.

In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed enhancements to the tax program. Though still under negotiation, the proposals appear likely to receive approval. The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee is scheduled to assess the proposal on Wednesday, inviting testimony from industry leaders advocating for renewed production in the state.

Simultaneously, California lawmakers are revising legislation to “amend, update, and modernize” the current tax incentive framework. As of March 25, proposed amendments suggest increasing the available tax credit to 35 percent for qualifying expenses incurred in Los Angeles.

In response to the industry’s challenges, the Entertainment Union Coalition has launched initiatives to address the crisis. Concurrently, prominent stars and writers in film and TV have begun a similar movement to advocate for meaningful engagement from lawmakers to develop actionable solutions.