Director John Stalberg Jr. recently exposed the harsh reality of shooting movies in Los Angeles while discussing his new film. He wanted to capture the authentic spirit of the city for his sequel but was forced to film halfway across the world. His experience highlights a growing crisis in Hollywood that is pushing productions to foreign countries.
The director of “Muzzle: City of Wolves” revealed shocking details about why the movie industry is abandoning California.
Bureaucracy and Union Costs Are Driving Productions Away
Stalberg Jr. desperately wanted to film the sequel to his 2023 hit “Muzzle” in Los Angeles. The story takes place in the City of Angels. It made logical sense to shoot there. However, the financial and logistical barriers made it impossible for the indie production to stay local.
He described the current state of filming in LA as a nightmare.
The director pointed to permit fees and bureaucratic red tape as major hurdles. He also criticized specific union mandates. He claims these groups act like they are committing “highway robbery” on smaller productions.
- Exorbitant Bonds: Productions must pay huge deposits that are difficult to get back.
- Logistical Nightmares: Securing locations involves complex hurdles.
- Reduced Days: The budget in LA would only allow for 15 to 18 shooting days.
Stalberg moved the production to South Africa to save the movie. This decision drastically changed what he could achieve on screen.
“I get 30 days to shoot in South Africa,” Stalberg explained.
This extra time allows filmmakers to craft a much higher quality product. They can focus on performances and visuals rather than rushing through a schedule. The trade off is that Los Angeles loses jobs and revenue to overseas markets.
film production camera lens on gritty street pavement
South African Shantytowns Were Not Grim Enough to Match LA
The most startling revelation from the director involved the set design. He needed to replicate the gritty underbelly of Los Angeles while shooting in Africa. He asked his local crew to take him to the worst slums available to double for LA streets.
The reality of Los Angeles homelessness has become harder to replicate than a war zone.
Stalberg was shocked when he arrived at the African locations. The shantytowns were not in bad enough shape to look like modern Los Angeles.
“To my shock and horror, they weren’t bad enough, so I had to bring in tents into these shanty towns in Africa.”
He had to artificially dress the set with tents to match the current state of California streets. This irony paints a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis in the US entertainment capital.
The director also used “splinter units” to grab real footage in California. He drove around with his cinematographer to film actual locations like police precincts. This guerrilla style filmmaking led to unexpected criticism.
Viewers thought the footage was fake.
Critics claimed the shots of homeless people using drugs outside a police station looked staged. Stalberg clarified that it was 100% real footage he captured while driving through the city.
Statistics Show a Massive Decline in Local Production
This anecdote supports a much larger trend backed by hard data. Filming in Greater Los Angeles has dropped significantly over the last decade. Official reports from FilmLA indicate a steep decline in shoot days across the board.
Scripted television and feature film production is down by over one third in the last 10 years.
Studios are finding better deals elsewhere. European countries and other US states offer aggressive tax incentives that California cannot match.
| Location | Incentive Type | Appeal to Filmmakers |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Cash Rebates | Low labor costs and high exchange rate value. |
| United Kingdom | Tax Relief | massive studio infrastructure and skilled crews. |
| Hungary | Tax Credits | High percentage back on total spend. |
| Los Angeles | Tax Credits | Capped availability and high cost of living. |
The “Muzzle” sequel is just one of many projects fleeing the state. Major blockbusters have been filming in the UK and Australia for years. Now even mid budget indie thrillers cannot afford to stay home.
Industry workers in Los Angeles are feeling the pain. Soundstages sit empty while facilities in Budapest and London are bursting at the seams. The exodus of production leads to a direct loss of income for local vendors, caterers and drivers.
Indie Movies Struggle to Survive in the Golden State
The loss of projects like “Muzzle: City of Wolves” signals a dangerous shift for independent cinema. Big studios might absorb the costs of shooting in California for prestige projects. Independent filmmakers operate on razor thin margins.
Every dollar spent on a permit fee is a dollar taken away from the screen.
Stalberg emphasized that his priority is making the best movie possible. He cannot sacrifice the quality of the film just to shoot in a specific zip code. The economics of the industry force directors to chase the best value.
The visual identity of Los Angeles is being lost.
Movies set in LA are increasingly shot in places that look nothing like it. Filmmakers use VFX and set dressing to trick the audience. This strips the city of its character on screen.
The “Muzzle” franchise stars Aaron Eckhart as a K9 officer. The gritty realism is a key selling point of the series. Losing the actual backdrop of the city dilutes that authenticity. Yet directors have no choice when faced with the financial math.
Stalberg frankly noted that unions and city officials are “spooking everyone off.” Until policy changes occur, this trend will likely accelerate. The Golden State is losing its glitter for the very people who built its reputation.
This situation leaves local crews without work and forces talent to travel for months at a time. The infrastructure that made Hollywood the movie capital of the world is slowly eroding.
The story of “Muzzle: City of Wolves” is a warning bell. It exposes how difficult it has become to tell an LA story in LA. When an African slum looks too clean to pass for a California street, the industry and the city face a serious reality check.
Filmmakers want to work at home. They simply can’t afford the price of admission anymore.
Everyone who loves movies should be concerned about this shift. The unique culture of American cinema is tied to its locations. Losing that connection impacts the art form itself.
We want to hear your thoughts on this issue. Do you think California needs to change its laws to bring filming back? Or is it too late for Hollywood? If you are frustrated by this news, share this article on social media using #HollywoodExodus and let us know what you think.
