Hollywood is not an "essential" business as defined for COVID restrictions, meaning that it is not automatically permitted to continue business operations durin

Hollywood is not an "essential" business as defined for COVID restrictions, meaning that it is not automatically permitted to continue business operations during COVID lockdowns. (See https://covid19.ca.gov/essential-workforce/ https://covid19.ca.gov/essential-workforce/). Utilities, transportation workers, etc., are essential workers. But that is also why Hollywood studios implemented such draconion covid procedures: they were necessary to get exemptions from the lockdown orders. They were the first industry to get these exemptions because of their outsized economic impact, and especially because of their importance to the LA area's finances.