FilmLA and the City of Culver City are excited to announce further enhancement to the City’s $500K film incentive program, one that builds on the program’s existing features and will significantly lower the total cost to film on-location in the Heart of Screenland.
Beginning on May 11, 2026, the per-application Motion and Still Photography fees charged by Culver City will be fully waived for a savings of $660 per permit. With FilmLA already serving as the City’s film permit office, this means that Culver City locations can now be added to FilmLA multi-jurisdiction permits for no additional upfront cost.
The deal is further sweetened by the full waiver of the City’s Daily Use Fee for Motion ($350) and Still Photography ($75) permits, encouraging extended stays in the City for production. Moving forward, over the course of a typical three-day film shoot, the total administration fee to film in Culver City will be reduced by $1,700, or nearly 60 percent, from already incentivized levels.
At FilmLA’s urging, the minimum insurance requirements to film in Culver City have also been reduced, to match lower liability limits agreed to by neighboring jurisdictions.
“As soon as we realized we could do more to support filmmaking in Culver City, we took immediate action. We are grateful to Culver City’s Economic Development Department and FilmLA for running the numbers to prove that yes, this change is not only affordable, it will create true equity of access to the City neighborhoods and locations where filmmakers already want to work.”
Freddy Puza, Culver City Mayor
Culver City’s film incentive was introduced on December 1, 2025 and is effective through December 31, 2026. From day one, it has provided filmmakers with free production parking, a partial credit for film permit fees above 2024 rates, and suspension of city business tax collection. FilmLA records show permit application volume is up the City since the film incentive program took effect.
