Hollywood still attracts top talent. But a new study released Thursday found that the Los Angeles region is losing entertainment jobs to other cities as the industry undergoes some radical transformations. The latest edition of the Otis College Report on the Creative Economy found that at the start of 2023, 35% of film and TV jobs nationwide were located in L.
A. County. By the end of the year, that figure had fallen to 27%.
But Taner Osman, study co-author and co-founder of Westwood Economics, said production jobs are not fleeing to any single rival hub. “Although L.A.
’s share has decreased, it hasn't lost share to Atlanta,” Osman said. “It hasn't lost share to New York. It has lost share to a little bit of everywhere.
” Osman said this decentralization continued during the actors and writers strikes last year . But the process started long before. Cities across the country have lured productions with tax incentives and lower overall budget requirements.
But Osman said the industry’s top creative talent is still clustered in L.A. “L.
A.'s advantage in the entertainment industry is not based on cost — there are places where you can produce some content cheaper,” he said. “L.
A.’s strength is that it has the most talented entertainment labor force in the U.S.
” The report found that L.A.-based film and TV workers earn around 60% more, on average, than their peers nationally.
The researchers also delved into some major changes in the broader entertainment ind.
