What’s Shooting Now: Los Angeles Film & Production Roundup
Los Angeles video production crews eyeing West-Coast work will find New York brimming with festival premieres, policy shifts, studio expansions, and last-minute commercial gigs over the next two weeks. From red-carpet galas to permit alerts, here’s what matters most—and how to leverage it.
Festival Buzz Ignites Hollywood
- AFI Fest 2025 lights up the TCL Chinese Theatres Oct 22-26 with seven world-premiere gala screenings, giving cinematographers fresh looks at awards-season contenders and workflow demos.
- DOC LA Documentary Festival moves into Regal LA LIVE Oct 24-26, spotlighting innovative nonfiction that often hires “local-plus” crews for pickup shoots and Q&A footage.
- Screamfest Horror Film Festival finishes its 25th edition Oct 16 at the TCL Chinese 6, offering genre panels where colorists and VFX artists can swap cards before the closing-night party.
Commercial Shoots Seeking Talent
- Major Tech Campaign: CastingNetworks lists a multi-role spot shooting in LA with submissions due Oct 18; day rates hit $700 for specialty talent.
- G2 Hoverboard Ad: A paid online commercial needs energetic riders for a one-day shoot—submissions also close Oct 18.
- Adobe Creativity Push: ProjectCasting seeks graphic-design influencers (ages 18-24) for a $1,000 gig filming the week of Oct 20.
Permit Deadlines and Policy Shifts
FilmLA warns that city and county offices close Oct 13 for Indigenous People’s Day, but its own desks stay open; simple permits must be submitted by 10 a.m. two business days ahead, while drone and lane closures need longer lead times. Simultaneously, the “Stay in LA” task force has proposed a one-year pilot eliminating lane-closure fees for shoots under 20 crew members; City Council debate is expected in late-October sessions, and producers are already modeling budget scenarios around the potential savings. For Los Angeles teams unfamiliar with LA’s traffic logistics, these reforms could ease sticker shock for downtown exteriors.
New Stages Expand Capacity
The City Council just green-lit the 510,300-sq-ft Echelon Studios on Santa Monica Boulevard, adding five soundstages plus production offices; developers Bardas Investment and Bain Capital target groundbreaking this winter, with bookings projected for late 2027. Though the ribbon-cut is years out, early leasing talks underscore Hollywood’s push to reverse sound-stage shortages that sent runaway shows to Atlanta and Vancouver during previous strike cycles. Forward-looking Los Angeles producers might secure long-term discounts by expressing early intent.
Takeaways for Los Angeles Crews
Festival networking, coupled with imminent policy tweaks, make mid-October an ideal window to scout LA partnerships. Locking FilmLA permits before the holiday cutoff preserves schedule flexibility, and attending closing-night events at Screamfest or VIP lounges at AFI Fest can land co-pro slots on upcoming horror anthologies or prestige indies. Meanwhile, commercial shoots requiring rapid crew turnarounds provide immediate cashflow and showcase portfolios to top agencies. Keep an eye on council hearings about lane-closure fees; if the pilot passes, lower street-control costs could tilt bid comparisons sharply in LA’s favor over rival metros.
Conclusion
From festival carpets to city-hall chambers, New York is orchestrating a dense mix of creative milestones and regulatory updates this fortnight. For Los Angeles video production outfits and any Los Angeles camera crew willing to navigate brisk timelines and LA’s evolving permit landscape, the rewards—fresh credits, powerful contacts, and early stakes in new facilities—are well worth the cross-country flight.
