L.A. Soundstage Occupancy Holds Steady But Remains Below Peak

FilmLA report shows soundstage usage down 35% from 2016 high

Mar. 18, 2026 at 7:00am

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A new FilmLA report shows that Los Angeles-area soundstage occupancy held steady at 62% in the first half of 2025, down only slightly from 63% in 2024. However, this represents a 35.4% decline from the peak occupancy of 96% in 2016, with the numbers remaining in the mid-90s through the Covid era before a significant 25.6% decrease from 2022 to 2023.

Why it matters

Los Angeles is the worldwide leader in available soundstage space, but the report highlights an ongoing downward trend in soundstage usage since the strike year of 2023. This mirrors a troubling downturn in on-location filming in L.A., which fell by 16.1% in 2025 after previous declines in 2024 and 2023.

The details

The FilmLA report shows that the total number of projects shot on participant stages increased slightly by 5% from 1,225 to 1,287 between 2023 and 2024. However, the total number of shoot days declined by 8% from 8,671 to 7,940, with much of that attributed to a 23% decrease in shoot days associated with scripted TV on participant stages.

  • The data covers the first six months of 2025.
  • Soundstage occupancy peaked at 96% in 2016.
  • Occupancy remained in the mid-90s through the Covid era.
  • There was a 25.6% decrease in occupancy from 2022 to 2023.

The players

FilmLA

The partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, which published the report.

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The takeaway

While Los Angeles remains the global leader in soundstage space, the report highlights an ongoing decline in usage that mirrors a broader downturn in on-location filming in the city. This raises questions about the long-term health of the local production industry and the need to address factors contributing to the decrease in soundstage and location activity.