Hollywood‘s Paradox: Why the Best Talent is available despite a Production Boom
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The veteran Hollywood cinematographer Bruce McCleery knows all about Los Angeles’s struggles to maintain its dominance in the entertainment industry, as for most of the past 16 years he has lived on the road, never short of work but unable to land a major job within striking distance of his home and family in southern California.
It’s an increasingly common experience for many accomplished professionals in Hollywood who are hired by studios and production houses still largely based in Los Angeles, but do the actual work in Atlanta, or Toronto, or London, or Budapest.
Late last year, McCleery was at last hired to work on the second season of Fallout, a post-apocalyptic television drama based on a popular computer game that was moving from New York to LA. It was a welcome chance to sleep in his own bed and, McCleery hoped, a step toward a much-needed recovery for LA after the pummeling the city took during the Covid pandemic and, again, during twin strikes by the writers’ and actors’ guilds in 2023.
On set, tho, McCleery found only different symptoms of the same old dysfunction – not because things were bad, but because they were eerily, almost uncomfortably good. The lighting crew, he noticed, was essentially an all-star team – everybody in town he could have dreamed of working with. The same was true of the grips, who specialize in rigging and setting up cameras, and of the camera crew itself.
“Even the day workers were superstars in their own right,” McCleery said. “And of course it was all a function of what was going on in Hollywood, because a lot of people who should have been busy were very much available.”
In a town that gave birth to the disaster movie, it’s tempting to see such developments in apocalyptic terms. Owen Gleiberman, chief movie critic for the Hollywood Reporter, watched in horror as one highly-touted movie after another flopped at the box office over the summer and early autumn – a reflection of changing audience habits and stiff competition for their attention from streaming services and smartphones. “It has seriously begun to look like the bottom is falling out,” he declared.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, reached for a similarly doom-laden tone earlier this year when pushing to increase the state’s production incentive program from $330m to $750m – a controversial move in the midst of a budget crunch that has left little room for discretionary spending. Newsom said of the entertainment industry: “it’s on life support. We need to step things up.”
insiders and economists tend to paint a more nuanced picture of an industry that, they say, is very much alive but beset by overlapping crises, many of them triggered by major structural changes in the technology of both producing and delivering filmed entertainment. Most say these are global phenomena more than LA-specific problems, but that Los Angeles feels them most acutely because it has the most to lose.
“Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the lion’s share of productions in the North American market were made in California and new York. California still leads the pack, but does so from a very diminished position,” said Philip Sokoloski of FilmLA, which keeps close track of production data on behalf of both the city and county of Los Angeles.
“Fewer than one in five TV shows are made in California, whereas even a few years ago it was closer to 30%. That’s a rather sudden drop.”
Some of this, say industry insiders and economists, was bound to happen anyway. Advances in everything from filming technology to post-production effects have meant fewer overall shooting days on location, smaller crews, a
Instagram Experiences Widespread Outage on december 26, 2025
On December 26, 2025, Instagram users around the world began reporting issues accessing the platform. The outage, which started around 12:00 PM EST, has impacted the ability to refresh feeds, post stories, and send direct messages. While the exact cause remains under investigation, Instagram has acknowledged the problem and is working to restore service.
What happened?
Reports of the outage began flooding social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Downdetector shortly after noon EST. Users described a variety of issues, including error messages, slow loading times, and complete inability to access their accounts. Downdetector, a website that tracks reports of online service outages, showed a meaningful spike in reported problems for Instagram.
Instagram’s Response
Instagram’s Communications team addressed the issue on X, stating, “We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing Instagram.we’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.” They have not yet provided a specific timeline for resolution, but indicated that they are investigating the root cause of the problem. A spokesperson added, “We believe the issue is related to a server-side problem, and we’re working to scale resources to address it. We expect the service to return, but potentially in a different form and size.” They expressed hope for a swift return to full functionality.
Impact on Users
The outage is disrupting the ability of millions of users to connect with friends, family, and businesses on Instagram. For many, Instagram is a primary platform for sharing updates, consuming news, and engaging with communities. The disruption is also impacting businesses that rely on Instagram for marketing and sales.
Impact on Businesses
Small businesses and influencers who heavily rely on Instagram for their income are particularly affected.The inability to post content or engage with followers can lead to lost revenue and decreased brand visibility. Many businesses are temporarily directing their customers to other social media channels,such as facebook and X,to maintain interaction.
What Causes Instagram Outages?
Instagram outages can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- Server Issues: Overload or failures in Instagram’s servers are a common cause.
- Software Bugs: Errors in the platform’s code can lead to unexpected behavior and outages.
- Network Problems: Issues with internet service providers or network infrastructure can disrupt access to Instagram.
- Cyberattacks: Although less common, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks can overwhelm instagram’s servers and cause outages.
How to Stay Updated
users can stay informed about the outage by:
- Following Instagram Communications on X for official updates.
- Checking Downdetector for real-time reports of issues.
- Monitoring news coverage from reputable sources.
Looking Ahead
Instagram is actively working to resolve the outage and restore full service. While the exact cause and timeline for resolution remain uncertain, the company is committed to providing updates to its users. This incident highlights the importance of platform stability and the potential impact of outages on millions of users and businesses worldwide.
Published: 2025/12/26 14:38:18