Culver City adopts permanent manufacturing incentives
When the Culver City Council voted to approve the annual budget last week, the temporary film incentives implemented in May formally became a permanent part of the city’s offering to production companies.
There are already new projects from Netflix and Amazon-owned MGM+ in the neighboring city of Los Angeles that have sprung up around the legendary MGM lot and other studio facilities. That led Culver City to adopt the motto describing itself as “the heart of Screenland.” Today, the city is home to Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amazon MGM Studios, and Apple’s entertainment operations, among other entertainment industry companies.
“Culver City has long been a premier destination for film and television production, supporting good-paying jobs, local businesses and the creative economy that helps define our community,” said Mayor Freddy Puza.
Culver City’s nearly $400 million total budget in the 2026-2027 budget for local needs and long-term investments covers many things. But the city continues to prioritize manufacturing and bring business back to familiar locations.
The incentive package, which can save a production thousands of dollars on even a short shoot, has grown incrementally. Starting last December as a temporary waiver of certain fees and permits, it grew in May to an even more generous amount of tax forgiveness for production companies booking locations.
The package includes free production parking, suspension of corporate tax collection, the development of a film location tour in partnership with FilmLA and the creation of a film-specific business directory.
On June 9, Netflix was filming a television episode at the American Legion Post #46 on Sepulveda Boulevard, a mid-century building that served as a nightclub in director Clint Eastwood’s 2014 Warner Bros. production of “Jersey Boys.” The familiar white trucks and orange traffic cones were a sight that raised eyebrows from passersby, and at least one pedestrian to applaud.
Culver City also features filming for a TV series titled “Start of Watch Block 4” for MGM+ Studios, and an industrial shoot titled “Drones.”
This is what the incentives are intended for, Puza emphasizes. “Continuing our film incentive program will ensure we remain competitive, sustain these economic benefits and strengthen our legacy as a place where creativity and innovation thrive,” he said.
