Hollywood’s “Dream Factories” Now Echo with Silence

Visitors to Hollywood’s iconic studios these days notice a striking absence of activity: backlots are eerily still and soundstages remain unusually quiet. The decline in busy productions — and the reduced use of studio resources such as props, costumes, and makeup departments that were once essential for building believable worlds and characters — is now palpable.

Southern California’s “dream factories” increasingly feel like relics of the past.

By Carly Mayberry | Friday, 19 December 2025 07:35 AM EST