By Carly Mayberry | Friday, December 19, 2025, 7:35 AM EST
When filmmakers visit the iconic Hollywood studios these days, what stands out most is the lack of bustle on the backlots and the quiet soundstages. The absence of busy productions — and the extensive use of studio resources such as props, costumes, and makeup departments once essential to building believable worlds and characters — is palpable. The “dream factories” of Southern California increasingly feel like relics of the past.
