People were afraid Los Angeles would become like Detroit, a city that lost its main industry. This fear was discussed at a meeting about the film and TV business. They talked about the big drop in making movies and shows in Hollywood and California. They also talked about trying to get the state to give more money to help make films and TV shows.

On Monday, we talked about a later part of making movies and TV shows that is also having problems: making the music and finishing the sound and picture.

Noelle Stehman said that if we don't do something, the film and TV industry in California could become like the car industry in Detroit.

A plan to give more tax money to film companies is at an important point. Politicians Ben Allen and Rick Zbur are trying to get votes for it. Some politicians think this money is just a gift to big companies, but Allen says that is not true.

The film companies don't mind where they work. They will work anywhere, he told the many people in the room. The room was a recording studio called Evergreen Studios, which used to be a cinema. They are still making films and shows. Many people don't understand that this is a problem for normal working people. The studio bosses will still be rich no matter what.

"This is not just giving money away in taxes," Zbur agreed. "This program helps people keep their jobs and homes. If we don't do it, it will cost much more than these tax breaks."

He also said to his friends at work, "Why do you think other countries are making these good job programs with taxes? It's because they make money and people want these jobs. So why are we waiting while other people take the jobs we have made here?"

Many people from the film and music industries came to the event. Important leaders like Harvey Mason Jr., Colleen Bell, and Philip Sokoloski were there. They talked about how film and music jobs are leaving the Los Angeles area. This is causing problems for businesses and the people who work there.

This happened just a few hours after FilmLA shared new information about filming. The information showed that filming days at the start of 2025 were 22% less than the year before.

Alex LoVerde, the boss of ProdPro, said, "These jobs are still here, but they are in different places." He said that the United States now makes 26 percent less than before. Australia is now making 14 percent more.

Talks about making movies and music showed that artists are having a hard time. A sound expert, Bobbi Banks, said she only worked for three months in the last year and a half. She even had a student follow her for some of that time. When she talked about the student wanting to move to Los Angeles for work, she asked the audience, "What can I tell them?" A visual effects artist, Efram Potelle, said it was hard to talk to his family about money problems.

Talking about music for films and TV was also serious. Peter Rotter and Jasper Randall from Encompass Music Partners, who had the meeting, showed that musicians in Los Angeles are working much less. In 2022, they worked 127 days, but this year only 11 days so far. They also said that making music costs much less in Vienna, Austria, and even less in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Karen Baker Landers, who works with sound in movies, wanted a special rule for the money given for movie work done after filming. She said places like New York and Louisiana, and countries like Australia and Spain, have this rule, which helps them get movie projects.

Movies used to be finished in California, even if they were filmed in other places. But now this is changing. Jobs like special effects, sound, and music for movies are moving to other states because of lower taxes. This has caused California to lose many jobs, not just in the movie business but also in other businesses that help the movie business.

Leaders in the state know it is a very bad situation. The governor wants to give more money to help movies and TV shows made in the state. Lawmakers have suggested two new rules to make the current system better. If these new rules are accepted, the state might pay up to 35 percent of the costs. This could also help short TV shows, cartoons, and some reality shows get the money.

The group that organized the event on Monday said that these ideas could help, but they are not enough to solve everything.

This event happened because people want to bring movie and TV jobs back to Los Angeles. Before this, hundreds of people went to a rally called "Stay in L.A." to support keeping jobs there. After that, a politician and groups of workers wrote a letter to a big movie group. They asked companies to make more movies and shows in Hollywood.

But people in the industry must also talk to each other to find answers.

Landers said, "I think people in other countries are watching what California does with these offers. They know that if we do well, California can be successful again."