Cale Thomas is an Emmy award-winning makeup artist whose credits include The Mandalorian and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. A second-generation film worker raised in North Hollywood, he now serves as co-legislative and policy lead for Stay in LA, a volunteer-led advocacy group formed by local filmmakers after the recent LA wildfires. Stay In LA works to keep film and television production in Los Angeles, advocating for permitting reform, tiered permit pricing, and better coordination between city departments.
"It's literally death by a thousand ants."
Cale Thomas, Stay in LA
From film family to policy advocate
In this episode of Inside Indies, host Bishop Porter sits down with Cale Thomas to talk about Stay in LA, a grassroots advocacy group working to keep film and TV production in Los Angeles. A North Hollywood native raised by a working SAG actor and a mother in the craft side of the business, Cale says, "I kind of grew up on film sets, and I always knew that I wanted to be in the film industry." That upbringing gave him a front-row view of "rank and file film workers below the line," the community he now advocates for.
Born out of wildfires, strikes, and a pandemic
Stay in LA was founded by local filmmakers after the recent LA wildfires, on the heels of industry strikes and pandemic shutdowns. "LA never gets a break," Cale says. The group's first move was lobbying Sacramento for an increased state film tax incentive. From there, Cale and volunteer colleagues took recommendations directly to a city council district office—recommendations that were introduced, co-signed, and unanimously passed. "All of our initiatives that we've passed, our legislation and our policy at the city level, have always passed unanimously," he says.
Why LA didn't have a film liaison until 2025
Los Angeles didn't have a film liaison in the mayor's office until August of last year, and that role is still part-time. "Not only do you need that person, you need persons," Cale says. Without coordination, productions get stuck between departments that don't talk to each other. He describes crews unable to shoot at Griffith Park during lawn reseeding with no one able to broker a fix: "They would just be like, ‘Sorry!’ But you know what they don't do in Georgia? That."
16 motions and counting
As co-legislative and policy lead, Cale has helped bring 16 motions before LA City Council, aimed at reforms the industry still needs. Among the priorities:
- No Permit on Private Property: "If you're on Sherman Way in Van Nuys and your entire base camp, crew parking, your lunch, and your location are on a private property... you should not have to have a permit," he says, noting Santa Monica already does this.
- Tiered Permit Pricing: "A $750,000 independent movie is paying the same amount of permits—cost for permits—as [a blockbuster].”
- Better Inter-Department Coordination: Stay in LA believes one of the most important reforms is improved communication between FilmLA, DOT, and Parks.
Measuring the problem to fix it
Cale points to a lack of data as a core issue: "If you can't measure it, you can't fix it," he argues, noting other regions are baffled by how disorganized LA's own accounting is. That gap has made LA harder to shoot in than Santa Clarita, Santa Monica, and Long Beach (cities he credits for prioritizing coordination).
The people behind the industry
For Cale, the stakes extend beyond big productions to the small businesses that support them—prop houses, vendors, dry cleaners, accountants—many built by second-generation immigrant families. "Nobody's been advocating for them," he explains, "and that's the thing that we did."
Reason for hope
Despite the long road, Cale is optimistic: "There is movement happening... I want to retire here. Right? I want to see this community flourish."
Cale's story is a reminder of just how much goes into keeping production alive and thriving in Los Angeles, from policy advocacy to the everyday support that keeps sets running. Cast & Crew is proud to stand behind the industry and the people who make it work. Reach out and find out how our team can support your next production.
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FAQ
Q: What is Stay in LA?
A: A volunteer-run grassroots group, founded after the LA wildfires, working to make LA film/TV production more accessible, affordable, and sustainable through policy reform.
Q: Who is Cale Thomas?
A: An Emmy-winning makeup artist (The Mandalorian, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and co-legislative/policy lead for Stay in LA.
Q: Does filming on private property in LA require a permit?
A: Currently yes, but Stay in LA is pushing to exempt shoots on private property that don't obstruct public right-of-way, matching Santa Monica's policy.
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Follow @StayInLA2025 or visit stayinla.org for hearings, updates, and volunteer opportunities.
