FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
September 16, 2025
**PRESS RELEASE**
BLUMENFIELD INTRODUCES MOTION TO CREATE INCENTIVES TO HELP LOW-BUDGET ‘MICRO-DRAMA’ PRODUCTIONS
With the rise of ‘micro-dramas’, Blumenfield aims to cut red tape and costs for an emerging new space within Hollywood productions
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today Councilmember Bob Blumenfield introduced legislation that aims to create new financial incentives to help keep lower budget production in Los Angeles. With budgets typically under $200,000, micro-drama productions often fall below the threshold to qualify for California’s state tax credits and creators are relocating to other cities to benefit from tax credits offered by other jurisdictions. A recent survey showed 78% of local independent producers now shoot these projects outside of Los Angeles, resulting in significant loss of jobs and local revenue.
“I’ve heard a lot of stories from LA-based filmmakers who have been lured to other cities around the country because they are offered incentives for these new, specific types of productions and it’s imperative that Los Angeles gets on board,” said Councilmember Blumenfield. “The Valley is home to so many ‘below the line’ professionals and we owe it to them, and the next generation of filmmakers, to make it easier and more affordable to keep jobs and productions in LA.”
The rise of “vertical content” reflects a fundamental shift in how audiences consume media, with stories increasingly created in the 9:16 aspect ratio tailored for mobile viewing- and many of these productions do not fit the needed requirements to apply for state tax credits. The market for professionally produced short-form content, “micro-dramas,” is projected to hit $15 billion by 2028, and the City of Los Angeles needs to be positioned as the national and global hub for this next wave of storytelling.
This emerging style of production was reported on recently by LAist, and many other publications, in regards to how it’s reshaping the industry and its real world impact on local filmmakers. According to LAist, “the growth of revenue for the industry has been massive over the last year. In January of 2024, micro dramas made $23 million; this January, $122 million.”
“Local incentives, including production rebate programs, could provide significant encouragement to micro content creators and others looking to build their careers and bring their next project to the City of Los Angeles,” said Philip Sokoloski, VP of Communications with FilmLA. “We look forward to exploring today’s proposal as the City’s trusted partner in location production support.”
“I’ve spent twenty-five years producing television in Los Angeles, and the last two chasing the future of storytelling in vertical micro-dramas”, said Jay Blumenfield, television and film producer and brother of Councilmember Blumenfield. Jay Blumenfield was the originator of the idea for this bill. “It kills me that I’ve had to look elsewhere for tax incentives when I’d rather be hiring the best people right here at home. Los Angeles should be leading the vertical content movement, not losing out to other cities.”
This motion will help create opportunities to assist vertical content creators by establishing a grant program that provides upfront funding to incentivize local production and generate local jobs. The targeted support to micro-drama production will not only nurture a new generation of creative talent, but also help future-proof Los Angeles positions at the center of the global entertainment industry.
Blumenfield’s motion launches three specific efforts-
It directs the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) and the Board of Public Works to report to the Council with a plan to review permitting structures as to lower costs and speed up turnaround, how special funds can finance a targeted local incentive to complement the State credit and reward local hiring and more.
A second report is directed from the Office of Finance to create rebate opportunities for property owners who offer discounted rates to qualifying productions to increase inventory of affordable locations for vertical content creators.
Request the Chief Legislative Analyst to identify $5,000,000 in public and/or private/philanthropic funding sources to establish a “40% Launch & Rebate” grant, which provides up-front funding to micro-drama productions offering a 40% rebate on qualifying LA expenditures with an initial 20% upfront grant upon project approval to address cash-flow for small productions, and the final 20% paid upon completion.
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