Hollywood Unions Warn U.S. Film & TV Production Is On The Brink In Latest Economic Report — SkimNews
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- Seven Hollywood unions — the DGA, IATSE, LIUNA, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, WGAE, and WGAW — jointly commissioned and released an economic report Monday warning that U.S. film and television production is "on the brink."
- The share of major studio film production spending filmed partially or primarily in the U.S. fell 32 points, from 74% in 1999 to 42% in 2024, while TV production spending share dropped 30 points from 94% to 64%.
- Cast and crew share on U.S.-filmed major studio movies declined 29 points (72% to 43%), and TV episodes filmed primarily in the U.S. fell 26 points from 96% to 70%.
- Marvel, Lucasfilm, Paramount, Warner Bros., and NBCUniversal have moved high-budget production overseas for upcoming Avengers films, Barbie, Wicked, and Sonic the Hedgehog.
- The unions cited a separate Motion Picture Association study finding that a stackable 20% federal tax credit could generate $250 billion in additional gross economic value and support tens of thousands of additional annual jobs nationwide.
- The report's scope was limited to scripted, live-action productions with budgets of at least $5 million for features and $1 million ($1.7 million for longer episodes) for TV.
- Variety led its own coverage with the same macro framing, headlining "Hollywood Unions Warn of 25-Year Decline in U.S. Production Market Share."
Why it matters: The 32-point collapse in domestic film production spending share since 1999 translates directly into fewer U.S. crew jobs — cast and crew share on major studio films dropped 29 points to 43%. The unions' proposed 20% federal tax credit, which the MPA estimates could generate $250 billion in additional gross economic value, requires federal action that has not materialized.
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