Nearly four years after breaking ground in the heart of Sylmar, the aptly named Sylmar Studios expects to finally open its state-of-the-art six-soundstage facilities this summer for entertainment productions of all sizes – from television commercials to major feature films.
The Sylmar Studios complex boasts 120,000 square feet of soundstage space with high ceilings, over 100,000 square feet of offices, 28,000 square feet of production support facilities, including lighting and grip areas, and a 600-space parking structure. Sylmar Studios President and General Manager Patrick Dempsey said he’s looking forward to their official grand opening, tentatively set for July, and further expanding their growing community connections throughout Sylmar.
“We actually take a lot of pride in our relationships with the people who were here well before us – Los Angeles Mission College [LAMC] is a great example,” said Dempsey, noting that they plan to launch a program for LAMC students who are studying film, media and production.
“We’ve [also] partnered with the Sylmar Neighborhood Council and we’ve adopted a fire department,” he continued. While they hope to be a successful business, he said, “It’s not all about just making money; there’s a [community] component. … We’ve done a really good job making friends with people who are within the community – and we do that every day.”
Bringing Productions Back to LA
As Sylmar Studios continues to cement its place in the community, Dempsey is eager to be up and running and is “feeling optimistic” about entertainment productions bouncing back in LA.
Productions have been leaving LA for decades, but the exodus intensified over the last several years due to increasing local costs, Hollywood labor disputes in 2023 and massive tax incentives elsewhere. Dempsey and Wendy Zeller, director of client services for Sylmar Studios, said they hope more productions will choose to remain here – or possibly be lured back from other states or countries – thanks to new and increased incentives being offered both locally and statewide.
“[California] has more than doubled the annual [tax incentive] award amount … to $750 million annually, and they’ve extended [it] until 2030,” said Dempsey regarding the California Film and TV Tax Credit Program 4.0.
In addition, California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the latest round of TV tax credits, which now include animated series and competition shows. A total of 16 TV projects are currently on board to benefit from the program. Those 16 shows will employ over 4,500 cast and crew, and are expected to generate $871 million in in-state spending, according to Dempsey.
Locally, the city of LA’s new “Keep Hollywood Home” initiative – introduced by LA City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian of District 2 – offers reduced permitting fees; free microshoots (with 10 or fewer people); and faster certification (to help speed up production timelines).
Sylmar Studios itself receives a tax break because Sylmar is a designated “Opportunity Zone,” which is a federal program that helps stimulate economic growth and job creation in low-income communities.
Dempsey views all the incentives as a win-win from every angle, because productions can save money filming in LA via the tax incentives while having access to LA’s skilled labor – which he described as “the best in the world” – and all-in-one soundstage facilities, like Sylmar Studios.
“All the equipment is here” – in LA and, more specifically, at Sylmar Studios, which has been renting out equipment for local productions, said Dempsey. “[LA] is the most saturated with high-level services and people and certain technical abilities, so it makes sense. I just wish they would have done it [offered these incentives] a long time ago, but … it’s happening now.”
So far, the rebounding of LA productions is “off to a slow start,” but Dempsey remains hopeful.
“Inquiries are coming in. … We’re getting more inquiries from people who are looking for soundstages in town,” said Dempsey. “[When] I’m driving home, I’m seeing more and more film trucks. … It’s been projected that [by] the end of April, it was going to start to ramp up.”
Dempsey noted that their large capacity soundstages were expressly designed and “purpose-built” from the ground up to accommodate virtually every type of production – live audience shows, music videos, culinary competitions or independent films, just to name a few.
“You could look at it like modern versus legacy,” added Zeller regarding their facilities, which are located near Bledsoe Street and Bradley Avenue. “Most of the soundstages in Los Angeles and elsewhere are warehouses converted into soundstages, [but] we are ground built.”
Zeller is currently promoting the town of Sylmar itself as “physical shooting location destination” – as a backdrop for TV or features – via the Sylmar Neighborhood Council. The more future productions opt to stay in LA – and eventually venture out to Sylmar and Sylmar Studios once it’s fully operational – the more it will positively impact the surrounding community, its residents and local business owners, according to Dempsey.
Dempsey and Zeller said they will continue to support their neighbors by hosting community events, serving as a voting center, providing shelter during emergency evacuations and more. In addition, they expect production crews to routinely patronize local small businesses, from panaderias to restaurants.
“All crews [go] into the local neighborhoods … utilizing neighborhood catering [companies] or dry cleaners” and other businesses, said Zeller, noting that it’s the norm for all productions.
Dempsey, who is a fourth-generation, lifelong San Fernando Valley resident, said he is expecting the best for the local entertainment industry, Sylmar Studios and for the Sylmar community.
“It has been a tough time [in the industry],” he said, “but it’s about to get better.”
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