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Despite the ongoing rise of AI across industries, film production is still a big deal when it comes to entertaining the masses. Perhaps you love a big-budget action movie or a cute indie film. Maybe you like binge-watching the latest television series on a streaming service or finding something unique online.
But while it may be entertaining to you, it can be tough work for those who actually create the media we enjoy, especially with changes in the film industry market. Some states have struggled in the past year to keep film industry types employed, while other states have found ways to tap into the market and entice more professionals to shoot movies and television shows in their state.
You might be surprised by some states that are losing the most jobs while still hanging on—and the states that have picked up the most new jobs in the industry in the past year.
Film Action on the East Coast
The East Coast is seeing growth when it comes to jobs in the film industry, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, compiled by Giggster. Rhode Island saw the most growth in jobs in 2025, with a 70.2% increase. It should be noted, however, that the industry in Rhode Island is small, with a total of 891 jobs in the field in 2025 compared to 524 a year earlier.
The biggest increase in number of jobs goes to New Jersey, which saw the second-highest growth rate for film jobs. The Garden State added 1,993 jobs in 2025, bringing its total to 7,803 positions. That change represents a 34.3% increase in positions.
For the states that made it into the top 10 for film industry job growth, one big advantage is that all 10 provide incentives for projects that commit to filming in their state. These states offer production tax credits, rebates, or grants depending on the state to attract film industry projects.
The top 10 states that saw the biggest percentage job growth in the film industry include:
1. Rhode Island
2. New Jersey
3. Utah
4. Missouri
5. Nevada
6. Nebraska
7. North Carolina
8. Pennsylvania
9. Arkansas
10. Washington, D.C.
Big States See Film Industry Declines
The states that have the biggest film industries also saw the biggest declines in 2025.
California saw the largest number of jobs disappear in the film industry, with 12,920 jobs removed. Second-place Illinois saw a decline of 1,529, jobs while third-place Georgia dropped 1,370.
One of the big reasons that California lost so many jobs is that the state already has such a big total. Despite dropping almost 13,000 positions, California is by far still the largest employer in the film industry by state, with 111,400 film jobs. Second-place New York has less than half the number of film industry positions with 46,200.
One of the reasons California was able to maintain its position as the biggest employer in the film industry despite its job losses in 2025 is that it still offers lucrative tax credits and other incentives to keep jobs in the state, making it a good option for major productions.
On the other hand, Georgia had issues renewing its tax credits and other incentives, giving productions an excuse to cut their spending and go somewhere else.
Georgia and California joined these states that saw the biggest drops in the number of film industry jobs in 2025:
1. California
2. Illinois
3. Georgia
4. Louisiana
5. Florida
6. Hawaii
7. Colorado
8. South Carolina
9. Minnesota
10. Montana