Los Angeles stays at the center of screen production, where studios, crews, and infrastructure influence what gets made—and how the region benefits. This page connects LA County and California impacts such as direct economic output, GDP contributions, and employment, from film and television to motion picture labor and wages. It also looks at on-location activity and capacity signals, including permits, feature volume trends, and studio soundstage scale.
Key Takeaways
- LA's 2022 box office from locally produced films totaled $2.1 billion domestically
- Top LA-produced film 'Top Gun: Maverick' grossed $718 million domestic in 2022
- LA studios' global box office share: 65% of top 20 films 2022
- In 2022, the Los Angeles film and television industry contributed $17.5 billion in direct economic output to the regional economy
- The LA entertainment sector supported 775,000 jobs statewide in 2022, representing 4.3% of California's total employment
- FilmLA reported that permitted film production in LA generated $1.2 billion in local spending in 2022
- The LA County film workforce totaled 194,000 jobs in 2022, representing 3.8% of total employment
- Film and video production occupations in LA had 25,600 employees with average wage $98,500 in 2022
- LA's motion picture industry employed 76,000 direct workers in 2022
- LA infrastructure includes 45 major studios with 1,200 soundstages
- Hollywood's Sunset Gower Studios: 18 soundstages, 500,000 sq ft
- Warner Bros. Burbank: 35 soundstages, largest backlot at 110 acres
- In 2022, LA issued 5,672 film permits for on-location production
- Feature films shot in LA: 92 in 2022, down 20% from 2019
- TV series episodes filmed in LA: 1,248 in 2022
In 2022, Los Angeles delivered $2.1B in local box office, supporting 775,000 jobs and $17.5B in output.
Related reading
01 · Category
Box Office Revenue29 stats
01
LA's 2022 box office from locally produced films totaled $2.1 billion domestically
02
Top LA-produced film 'Top Gun: Maverick' grossed $718 million domestic in 2022
03
LA studios' global box office share: 65% of top 20 films 2022
04
'Avatar: The Way of Water' LA post-prod contributed to $1.6 billion worldwide 2022 gross
05
LA indie films box office: $450 million domestic 2022
06
Warner Bros. Burbank output: $4.2 billion global revenue 2022
07
Disney's LA animation films like 'Lightyear' added $226 million domestic
08
Paramount Pictures LA revenue from 'Sonic 2': $191 million domestic 2022
09
Universal Pictures LA horror 'Smile' grossed $105 million domestic 2022
10
LA streaming revenue from originals: $15 billion estimated 2022
11
A24 LA films like 'Everything Everywhere' $77 million domestic post-2022
12
Sony Pictures Culver City output: $2.8 billion global 2022
13
LA VOD rentals from local films: $1.2 billion 2022
14
Top Gun Maverick IMAX LA premieres contributed 30% of $149 million IMAX global
15
LA blockbusters average domestic gross: $250 million per major release 2022
16
Netflix LA content drove 40% of subscriber revenue growth $31.6B total 2022
17
Amazon MGM LA acquisitions boosted Prime Video to $2.5B film revenue 2022
18
LA Lionsgate films 'Prey' $67 million VOD/streaming 2022
19
Domestic box office recovery in LA films: 85% of 2019 levels $6.2B 2022
20
LA international box office for US films: $12.5 billion 2022
21
Hulu originals LA-produced: $800 million revenue 2022
22
LA family films 'DC League of Super-Pets' $93 million domestic 2022
23
Apple TV+ LA shows contributed to 28 million subscribers $6.5B revenue 2022
24
LA horror genre box office: $1.1 billion worldwide 2022
25
Oscar-nominated LA films grossed 2x average post-noms 2022
26
LA LA Film Festival films average box office $5.2 million 2022
27
LA County residents spent $450 million on cinema tickets 2022
28
LA's share of global box office: 22% via Hollywood majors 2022
29
LA produced 18 of top 50 domestic grossers 2022 totaling $3.8B
Interpretation
Box Office Revenue Interpretation
In 2022, box office revenue in Los Angeles was driven by major studio scale, with locally produced films totaling $2.1 billion domestically and LA studios capturing 65% of the top 20 films’ global share, while standout releases like Top Gun: Maverick and LA’s role in Avatar: The Way of Water helped push grosses to $718 million domestic and $1.6 billion worldwide.
02 · Category
Economic Impact29 stats
01
In 2022, the Los Angeles film and television industry contributed $17.5 billion in direct economic output to the regional economy
02
The LA entertainment sector supported 775,000 jobs statewide in 2022, representing 4.3% of California's total employment
03
FilmLA reported that permitted film production in LA generated $1.2 billion in local spending in 2022
04
The motion picture and sound recording industries in LA County accounted for $14.8 billion in GDP contribution in 2021
05
LA's film industry tourism generated $2.4 billion in visitor spending in 2019 pre-pandemic
06
In FY2022, California’s film tax credit program delivered $2.78 billion in economic impact, with 80% in LA region
07
The LA film sector's multiplier effect created $30.7 billion total economic output from $17.5 billion direct spend in 2022
08
LA's creative industries, including film, contributed 7.5% to the county's GDP in 2021
09
Film production spending in Greater LA reached $4.1 billion in 2022, up 15% from 2021
10
The LA entertainment industry's exports totaled $1.1 billion in 2022
11
In 2021, LA County's film and video industry paid $8.2 billion in wages
12
The film tax credit ROI in LA was $7.60 returned per $1 invested in FY2021-22
13
LA film production supported 76,000 direct jobs in 2022
14
Pre-pandemic 2019, LA film industry generated $30 billion in total economic activity
15
In 2023 Q1, LA TV production spend was $650 million
16
LA's film sector attracted $1.5 billion in foreign investment in 2022
17
The industry's property tax contributions in LA County reached $250 million in 2022
18
LA film exports grew 12% to $900 million in 2021
19
Vendor payments from film shoots in LA totaled $800 million in 2022
20
LA's screen industries supported 1 in 10 jobs in the county in 2022
21
In 2022, LA film industry labor income was $12.4 billion
22
Hotel bookings from film crews added $150 million to LA economy in 2022
23
LA's film sector VAT/sales tax revenue was $1.1 billion in 2022
24
International co-productions in LA generated $500 million in 2022
25
LA film industry's indirect jobs numbered 400,000 in 2022
26
Streaming production spend in LA hit $2.8 billion in 2022
27
LA's film cluster effect boosted regional GDP by 2.5% in 2021
28
Location fees for film permits in LA totaled $25 million in 2022
29
LA film industry's total output multiplier was 1.75 in 2022
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In the economic impact category, the data show that Los Angeles film and television is a major regional engine, with 2022 direct output of $17.5 billion and local production spending of $1.2 billion, while statewide employment reaches 775,000 jobs and California’s $2.78 billion film tax credit program funnels 80% of its economic impact into the LA region.
03 · Category
Employment28 stats
01
The LA County film workforce totaled 194,000 jobs in 2022, representing 3.8% of total employment
02
Film and video production occupations in LA had 25,600 employees with average wage $98,500 in 2022
03
LA's motion picture industry employed 76,000 direct workers in 2022
04
IATSE Local 80 grips and set lighting technicians numbered 3,500 members in LA in 2023
05
California film industry supported 705,000 total jobs in 2021, 90% in LA area
06
LA post-production workers totaled 42,000 in 2022
07
Directors and producers in LA film sector: 12,400 employed, avg salary $142,000 in 2022
08
SAG-AFTRA performers in LA: over 150,000 members active in film/TV
09
LA VFX artists employment reached 18,000 in 2022
10
FilmLA permits employed 28,000 crew days per month average in 2022
11
LA sound recording studios employed 5,200 in 2021
12
Writers Guild members in LA: 40,000 working in film/TV
13
LA costume and wardrobe supervisors: 2,100 employed
14
DGA directors in feature films: 1,200 annually in LA
15
LA animation industry jobs: 15,000 full-time in 2022
16
Below-the-line crew in LA film: 150,000 total workforce
17
LA film editors: 8,500 employed, avg wage $110,000 in 2022
18
Stunt performers registered in LA: 4,000 via SAG-AFTRA
19
LA location managers: 1,800 active
20
Cinematographers in LA: 3,200 members of Local 600
21
LA production assistants: 12,000 entry-level jobs annually
22
Makeup artists and hair stylists in film: 6,500 in LA
23
LA prop makers and set designers: 9,000 employed
24
Teamsters Local 399 drivers: 8,000 members serving LA film
25
LA script supervisors: 1,200 via Local 161
26
Casting directors in LA: 2,500 active firms
27
LA film accountants: 1,000 certified via Local 479
28
Publicists for LA film: 3,400 members of Local 818
Interpretation
Employment Interpretation
Employment in the LA film industry is substantial and concentrated, with 194,000 jobs in 2022 making up 3.8% of all county employment and with California’s 705,000 total film jobs in 2021 supported mostly by the LA area at 90%.
More related reading
04 · Category
Infrastructure28 stats
01
LA infrastructure includes 45 major studios with 1,200 soundstages
02
Hollywood's Sunset Gower Studios: 18 soundstages, 500,000 sq ft
03
Warner Bros. Burbank: 35 soundstages, largest backlot at 110 acres
04
Radford Studio Center in Studio City: 18 stages, 650,000 sq ft
05
LA soundstage vacancy rate dropped to 5% in 2023
06
Over 400 miles of fiber optic networks for LA film post-production
07
LA has 2,500+ film-friendly locations registered
08
LAX handles 70% of international film crew flights annually
09
LA Metro rail used by 15% of film crews for location access 2022
10
120+ equipment rental houses in LA serving film industry
11
LA's 110 soundstages added since 2020 total 5 million sq ft new
12
CBS Studio Center: 20 stages in 444 acres
13
LA virtual production LED volumes: 50+ facilities in 2023
14
1,200 prop houses operating in LA metro area
15
LA has 300+ post-production houses with 10,000 editing suites
16
Disney Hyperion lot: 51 acres with 10 stages
17
LA film permit processing time averaged 2.5 days in 2022
18
75 commissaries and catering services dedicated to LA film sets
19
LA's 405 freeway impacts 20% of shoot delays annually
20
200+ wardrobe rental/showrooms in LA fashion district for film
21
LA County beaches host 800 permitted shoots yearly
22
Netflix Albuquerque but LA HQ drives 200 stages equivalent
23
LA has 50 crane/boom operators certified facilities
24
Downtown LA lofts converted to 15 new production spaces 2022-23
25
LA water usage for film effects: regulated at 10 million gallons/year
26
100+ grip/electric rental yards in San Fernando Valley
27
LA Film School campus: 125,000 sq ft with 12 stages
28
Pasadena's Rose Bowl hosts 50 major shoots annually
Interpretation
Infrastructure Interpretation
La Film Infrastructure is tightening with a 5% soundstage vacancy rate in 2023 while supporting a massive studio footprint, including 1,200 soundstages across 45 major studios plus over 400 miles of fiber optic networks for post-production.
05 · Category
Production29 stats
01
In 2022, LA issued 5,672 film permits for on-location production
02
Feature films shot in LA: 92 in 2022, down 20% from 2019
03
TV series episodes filmed in LA: 1,248 in 2022
04
Commercial production days in LA: 2,150 in 2022
05
LA studio shoot days: 12,500 in 2022, up 50% from 2021
06
On-location shoot days in LA neighborhoods: 18,200 in 2022
07
LA permitted 1,672 TV productions in 2022
08
Feature film shoot days in LA: 4,200 in 2022
09
Music video production days: 850 in LA 2022
10
LA still photography permits: 1,200 in 2022
11
Hollywood studio space utilization: 85% in 2022 for LA productions
12
LA served as primary location for 45% of top 100 grossing films in 2022
13
Independent films produced in LA: 350 features in 2022
14
LA soundstage square footage: 28 million sq ft operational in 2023
15
TV pilots shot in LA: 78 in 2022 development season
16
LA exterior location scouts: 15,000 annually via FilmLA
17
Blockbuster franchises filming in LA: 12 major ones in 2022
18
LA post-production facilities processed 2,500 projects in 2022
19
Virtual production volumes in LA: 150 stages active in 2023
20
LA film festivals premiered 450 features in 2022
21
Student films permitted in LA: 2,800 via FilmLA 2022
22
LA high-budget SVOD shows: 120 seasons in 2022
23
Night shoots permitted: 1,200 in LA 2022
24
LA aerial filming permits: 450 drone ops in 2022
25
Multi-camera sitcoms taped in LA studios: 320 episodes 2022
26
LA film LA program supported 200 local projects in 2022
27
Remotely scouted locations in LA: 5,000 via virtual tools 2022
28
LA accounted for 25% of US feature film production in 2022
29
Netflix productions in LA: 85 active in 2022
Interpretation
Production Interpretation
In the Production category, Los Angeles sustained a busy 2022 for both studios and locations, with studio shoot days jumping to 12,500 and on-location shoot days reaching 18,200, even as feature films fell to 92 in 2022 down 20% from 2019.
report visual · Breakdown
Los Angeles Film Industry: Box Office vs. Overall Economic Impact (2022)
LA’s locally produced film performance is presented alongside the broader regional economic contribution of the film and television industry.
30%
Top Gun Maverick IMAX LA premieres contributed 30% of $149 million IMAX global
70%
LAX handles 70% of international film crew flights annually
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). La Film Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/la-film-industry-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "La Film Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/la-film-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "La Film Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/la-film-industry-statistics.
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