Rob Lowe Criticizes Hollywood's Production Exodus as Shoot Days Hit Historic Lows
Los Angeles, Sunday, 25 January 2026.
Rob Lowe deems the industry’s flight ‘criminal’ as Los Angeles shoot days hit historic lows. However, expanded $750 million tax incentives signal a potential 2026 resurgence for the entertainment capital.
A “Criminal” Ceding of Industry Dominance
Actor Rob Lowe has delivered a scathing assessment of the local entertainment economy, characterizing the flight of film and television production from Los Angeles as “criminal” [1]. Speaking just ahead of the January 26, 2026, Sundance Film Festival premiere of his latest film, “The Musical”—which was notably filmed in Los Angeles thanks to new incentives—Lowe lamented that the region has “ceded this entire industry to other states” and countries [1]. While Lowe acknowledged that production levels are “getting better,” his comments highlight a critical dissatisfaction with the lack of tax incentives for “above the line” talent, such as actors and directors, which continues to drive business elsewhere [1]. This sentiment arrives as the region grapples with a historic slump; data released by FilmLA on January 14, 2026, revealed a 16.1% decline in total shoot days in Greater Los Angeles from 2024 to 2025 [2]. The total on-location shoot days for 2025 plummeted to nearly 20,000, marking the lowest activity level since 2020 [4].
The $750 Million Fiscal Response
In a direct effort to stem this tide, California is banking on the aggressive expansion of its fiscal support structures. The state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program 4.0, which was enacted in July 2025, has significantly raised the annual cap from $330 million to $750 million, a ceiling that will remain in place through the 2030-31 fiscal year [2]. This revised framework is designed to pay out $3.75 billion over five years and includes refundable credits, a feature long requested by the industry [2]. As of mid-January 2026, the California Film Commission reported that 119 projects—comprising 39 television shows and 80 feature films—have already been approved under this new regime [2]. High-profile productions slated to benefit include “Heat 2,” the next “Jumanji” installment, and a reboot of the “Baywatch” series [2]. Colleen Bell, executive director of the California Film Commission, asserts that these approvals signal a stabilization of the market, projecting that the current slate of projects will generate approximately 25,000 crew hires and contribute $4.1 billion to the state’s economy [2].
Infrastructure Shifts and Regional Nuances
While the macro-level data indicates a struggle for recovery, the landscape within the “30-Mile Studio Zone” presents a complex picture of contraction and investment. Simi Valley, often a bellwether for local production health, recorded 296 production days in 2025, generating an estimated $5.25 million in direct economic impact [3]. Although city officials have publicly framed this as a “strong year” that bucks the Hollywood trend, the volume actually represents a steep decline of -30.516% from the 426 production days reported in 2024 [3]. Concurrently, the region’s physical infrastructure is undergoing a transition. Highlighting investor confidence in a long-term rebound, East End Studios recently opened its new 23,690-square-meter Mission Campus in downtown Los Angeles [4]. However, financial strains remain evident elsewhere, as the Radford Studio Center recently defaulted on approximately $1.1 billion in debt, a distress signal that industry analysts argue serves as a cautionary lesson rather than a systemic indictment [4]. With the application window for animation and large-scale competition series opening on January 26, 2026, the industry is watching closely to see if the fourth quarter’s modest 5.6% uptick in shoot days can sustain momentum into the new year [2].