Mayor Karen Bass announced that the City of Los Angeles is slashing filming fees at the Griffith Observatory from $100,000 to $30,000, reverting back to 2008 levels. She also announced that after more than 10 years, the L.A. Central Library is now open to film production. Mayor Bass was joined by Councilmember Adrin Nazarian and industry leaders representing the Motion Picture Association, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, IATSE, LiUNA, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, Costume Designers Guild, StayInLA, FilmLA, FOX Corporation, Warner Bros Discovery, Netflix, California Film Commission, and the Entertainment Industry Council. B-roll of the event will be available here.

“Working hand-in-hand with the industry, today we are making filming easier and more affordable in Los Angeles – the entertainment capital of the world,” said Mayor Bass. “The Griffith Observatory and L.A. Central Library have been the backdrop for some of the most iconic stories ever told. Today, we are continuing that legacy for the next generation of storytellers. City Hall will continue to champion key industry needs and work to create good-paying, union jobs and spur economic opportunity across our region in the process.”

“Yesterday, the City Council voted to streamline the permitting process and revitalize filming in Los Angeles,” said Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, author of the Keep Hollywood Home motions adopted by the Council on Tuesday. “We’ve made it clear that Los Angeles is serious about competing in a global marketplace, that we believe the industry that built this city is worth fighting for. I thank Mayor Bass for taking this action today. Making locations like Griffith Observatory and our beautiful Central Library available for filming sends a message, not just to the L.A. film community but to filmmakers around the world. We’re extending an invitation. Come to L.A. We’ve got stories to tell and fantastic locations like this to film them in.”

Mayor Bass issued Executive Directive 11 in May 2025 directing City departments to reduce filming-related fees at the Griffith Observatory to their original 2008 rates prior to the 2022 fee increase. It also directed the LA Public Library to institute procedures and safeguards to enable interior filming at the Central Public Library once again. Additionally, under Mayor Bass, more than 3 million square feet of studio and creative office space have been approved with more than 120 sound stages under development across the Los Angeles region.

“Granting more affordable access to iconic filming locations invites more film and TV productions to invest in Los Angeles’ workforce, business community, and creative economy,” said Arlen Valdivia, Vice President of State Government Affairs, Motion Picture Association. “The MPA looks forward to our continued work with Mayor Bass, the City Council, our guild and union partners, and the City of Los Angeles to ensure smart policy and film-friendly reforms shape future success.”

“Los Angeles’s iconic film and television industry was built on the backs of hardworking and highly skilled union, cast and crewmembers that bring their unique talents together to tell stories, shape culture and entertain the world,” said Lindsay Dougherty, Principal Officer & Motion Picture Division Director, Teamsters Local 399. “Our members’ dedication to their craft deserves the same type of strategic and smart collaboration to protect and stabilize our industry for the good union jobs it creates and the economic benefit it brings to our state. We want to thank Mayor Bass and our city Councilmembers for their continued commitment, and actions taken, to make it easier and more accessible to film in Los Angeles, while also preserving the goodwill of our communities put on film and the hard-fought for labor standards of our members.”

“As actors, we’re often the faces people see. But this industry runs on thousands of union workers — members of SAG-AFTRA and other industry unions — who build the sets, light the scenes, design the costumes, move the trucks, secure the streets, and make the magic real,” said Joely Fisher, President, SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local. “I see these actions as more than policy. I see them as a commitment: to creators, to workers, and to the future of storytelling in Los Angeles. Thank you to the Mayor. Let’s keep the cameras rolling — right here at home.”

With the L.A. Central Library celebrating its 100th anniversary and the Griffith Observatory serving Angelenos for 90 years, these sites have become institutions in Los Angeles and cultural landmarks in film history. By making filming at these locations more accessible, a new generation of creatives can tell stories at these iconic sites, right here in the entertainment capital of the world.

Investing in L.A.’s Signature Industry

Additional progress to bolster the entertainment industry under Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive 11 include:

The Port of Los Angeles has cut the time it takes to review filming applications to only 4 days.
The LA Department of Transportation (LADOT) has extended staff hours to ensure timely on-street signage posting requests and changes for local productions.
FilmLA, the City’s film permitting partner, is developing a tiered permitting fee structure for low-impact productions, working in coordination with Film Liaison Steve Kang and the Mayor’s Office.
LADOT has pre-approved certain closures in Downtown L.A., allowing FilmLA to authorize curb lanes and local street closures in accordance with established guidelines.
LAPD has identified activity and locations where the assignment of personnel can either be waived or decreased since the Mayor’s directive.

Additionally, the appointment of Board of Public Works President Steve Kang as the Mayor’s Liaison to the Film and Television Industry has streamlined many of the day-to-day barriers that productions face in Los Angeles. By providing a concierge-style service and addressing issues directly as they arise, the Mayor’s Liaison ensures that productions receive timely support and that the City remains a film-friendly partner.

Mayor Bass recently welcomed back productions to Los Angeles, including the reboot of Baywatch, following the historic passage of Governor Newsom’s expanded Film & TV Tax Credit Program. Additionally, Mayor Bass has recently joined Cinespace and East End Studios to celebrate the grand opening of their new campuses in Los Angeles.

Mayor Bass has championed LA’s signature industry since she was Speaker of the State Assembly, overseeing the passage of the Inaugural Film and TV Tax Credit Program. Now as Mayor, she has used her authority to focus on streamlining city processes and delivering excellent customer service so that creators and crews can do what they do best — in the city that does it best.

Mayor Bass also established an Entertainment Industry Council to draw on the expertise of industry leaders and issued Executive Directive 8 to support the industry locally, including establishing monthly task force meetings with key departments and industry stakeholders and requiring all departments to have a designated liaison for film and TV production.

The post Mayor Bass Slashes Filming Fees By 70% at Griffith Observatory, Reopens L.A. Central Library to Production After 10+ Years appeared first on LATF USA NEWS.

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