Stay Alive til 25. That was the battle cry of an industry post-COVID, the strikes and a collective depression (both literal and figurative).

We Can Rebuild. This was the hope of legions of writers, drivers, vendors, actors, electricians, costumers, builders, location managers, production assistants, union members, caterers, small business owners all who have taken hit after hit, year after year, as streaming bubbles burst, jobs shrunk, then disappeared.

Then 25 arrived, our communities burned and rebuild took on a whole new meaning. We need to rebuild the lost homes, the playgrounds, the schools and shops. The lost seaside icons. The lost communities that hosted Fourth of July parades and barbecues, built businesses, raised families, laid the foundations of a bountiful generational future. We also need to rebuild our lost purpose. We all know the mythology: Los Angeles is the place you come with a dollar in your pocket and a dream in your heart. Hollywood isnt a geographical location, its an aspiration. It is, canonically, the place where dreams are made.We take for granted that Hollywood will always be the center of the entertainment world. The Oscars are here. Agencies, studios, and streamers are here. Celebrities and creators live here. But production is the secret creative engine of Hollywood its the beautiful mix of craftspeople, artists, technicians, and laborers that make this city a fertile place to grow ideas.

Without production, we risk losing the deep, multi-generational knowledge that can support innovation at the highest level. Mineral-rich soil thats not so easily replaced once it dries out and blows elsewhere. While Los Angeles need not have the monopoly on the dream we have all enjoyed being a part of film communities all over this country and the world if we allow our city to be reduced to an entertainment industry that is only boardrooms and premiere parties, weve lost the very heart and soul of what we do we make things, together, in a community and in a tradition.

Since launching the Stay in L.A. petition on Jan. 23 calling for emergency measures to bring production back to L.A., we have had a crash course in what it would actually take to make our city film-friendly again. Were under no delusions that L.A. budgets will be able to compete with countries offering cheap labor, socialized health care and pensions, favorable exchange rates and lucrative incentives.

But reasonable improvements can make a big difference. Take New York, for example. Its incentive is nowhere near as shiny as Georgias or Louisianas. Yet its just decent enough that producers can reasonably consider shooting in New York when the story calls for it. Shouldnt we at least support L.A. being competitive enough to have a chance at playing itself? Here are just a few things that can be done:

1. Support Gov. Gavin Newsoms $750 million budget cap raise on the incentive and urge him to temporarily uncap the incentive for three years in L.A. County as part of efforts to rebuild after the fires.

2. Educate legislators in Sacramento that a more competitive incentive is about job creation and isnt simply a corporate handout. As of August, the unemployment rate in the film and TV sector reached 12.5 percent, marking the industrys highest August unemployment rate since at least 2000, excluding the pandemic period. This rate is nearly triple the national average.

3. Raise the tax incentive amount to 30 percent for both films and television shows. This number is the bare minimum to make California competitive. Offer an additional 5 percent for any film below $10 million to encourage more independent films to shoot in California.

4. Support a bill funding postproduction that is not contingent upon shooting in state. New York has this, the U.K. has this and its why their postproduction businesses are booming and L.A.s is hurting. The postproduction carve-out should include music for film and TV scores, too.

5. Consider a new bill targeting commercial and music video production, which has also plummeted. Shortform production is how many cast and crewmembers make ends meet between TV or film gigs.

6. Lift restrictions on shooting outside and in public spaces in L.A. (emulating NYCs successful program) and offer a temporary reduction in permit fees in conjunction with loosening up notification requirements to reduce FilmLAs staffing costs.

7. Neighborhood councils can create film-friendly corridors and residential zones. The county can offer discounted property taxes for all who participate.

8. The city and county can offer unused or underused property as free base camps for production. Create an easy-to-use map of all these areas.

9. Waive or defer L.A. city tax on productions and consider a city ordinance temporarily capping location fees to combat price gouging and to make it easier for productions to afford to shoot.

10. Perhaps most crucially, studios and streamers must do their part by pledging to shoot more in L.A. County, demonstrating a commitment to rebuilding after the fires.

Weve heard from many producers that this is too little, too late. And weve heard that getting lawmakers to reach consensus on these issues will be impossible. But weve also heard countless personal stories that remind us why giving up on L.A. is simply not an option. Just like on set, we all have a role to play in making the impossible possible companies, unions, filmworkers above and below the line everyone. Bringing production back would mean more than just money to help the city rebuild. It would also rebuild our sense of purpose. Production creates jobs, grows businesses, nourishes hope, confidence and aspirations.

It pays itself forward. If you are someone whose livelihood is affected by the loss of production in California, please consider signing the petition at stayinla.org. Lets do what we do best work together and serve a shared story. We must all do our part to keep the Hollywood dream alive.

Julie Plec is a writer/showrunner/director who has produced nearly 500 episodes of television, most notably The Vampire Diaries franchise. Her latest project is Amazons We Were Liars.

Sarah Adina Smith is an independent filmmaker and DGA award-winning television director. Most recently, she directed half of the first season of HBOs Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.