Los Angeles is set to bolster its status as the heart of the movie industry with the groundbreaking of a new film sound stage and production studio campus Downtown, dubbed East End Studios Mission Campus. Announced on Monday, the 5-acre development aims to streamline local film production and generate various job opportunities.
The project was met with positive sentiments from Mayor Karen Bass, who sees it as a lifeline for the traditional LA industry, according to a statement on the official city website. “Right now, our legacy industry needs support and this campus is the type of initiative that will help save jobs and help spur production in our area,” Mayor Bass articulated. Surrounding businesses expect to feel the ripple effects through increased local commerce and job creation.
Shep Wainwright, East End Studios Managing Partner, lauded the new studio’s location and the city’s support, expressing gratitude for helping maintain Los Angeles’s reputation as an entertainment hub. In an official city statement, Wainwright added, “With its abundant cultural richness and distinctive charm, the area is an exceptionally fitting location for a best-in-class, fully integrated film and television studio campus.”
Joely Fisher of SAG-AFTRA shared the enthusiasm, heralding the development as an inauguration to a revamped golden Hollywood era. “This new facility is a thrilling start in leading the pack to have a real golden age of Hollywood again,” Fisher expressed, per the mayor’s announcement. The sentiment indicates confidence in a resurgence of LA-based production benefiting industry professionals.
The city has employed measures under Executive Directive 4 to streamline business development in this sector. These included fast-tracking permitting and inspection for a number of new studios and soundstages to guarantee timely, budget-friendly openings. As a testament to the growth potential, the city has over 8 million square feet of soundstage, studios, and creative space lined up for development.