The Town with Matthew Belloni Can D.C. Save Hollywood? Senator Adam Schiff on Bringing Production Home.
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Mar 27, 2026 
Adam Schiff, U.S. senator from California and longtime industry policymaker, discusses a federal film and TV tax incentive to bring production back to LA. He explores why productions left, how a 15% baseline credit with add-ons could work, and the politics of winning bipartisan support. Conversation also covers studio consolidation, local permitting failures, and stakes for Los Angeles’ economy.
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Federal Credit As The Competitive Lever
- A federal tax credit stacked on top of state credits could be the decisive tool to bring productions back to the U.S. and California.
- Senator Adam Schiff proposes a baseline 15% credit with add-ons tied to where spending and jobs return, modeled to match generous UK incentives.
Why Washington Ignored Production Losses For Years
- The industry flight wasn't urgent to Washington earlier because policy makers assumed talent and infrastructure anchored production in LA.
- Global and state incentives plus market shifts (pandemic, strikes, AI) finally forced congressional attention now.
Incentive Gains Are Fragile And Mobile
- State-level investments can be erased overnight when other countries boost incentives, showing a race-to-the-top dynamic.
- Georgia attracted tentpoles but lost them quickly once the UK increased its own incentives.