History for Hire Prop House, a company that has provided props for films such as “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump,” and “Oppenheimer,” has recently reduced its workforce and cut employee hours. Co-founder Pam Elyea attributes the downturn to a significant decrease in rental business over the past three years, largely driven by productions moving out of the United States.
“With so much production leaving the United States, it absolutely has affected my business a lot,” Elyea stated. She noted a “pretty serious decrease in the amount of rentals” performed by the company.
Founded in the 1980s, the business is increasingly shipping props to sets located outside the U.S., a trend that has impacted its financial stability. In 2025, Los Angeles County recorded a 50% decrease in shoot days compared to 2018, reaching the lowest figure on record aside from 2020, according to FilmLA data.
This decline in local production is occurring as other states and countries actively court Hollywood with substantial financial incentives. Additionally, filmmakers report facing challenges with perceived excessive regulations and fees in Los Angeles.
History for Hire has supplied a variety of items for notable films, including military uniforms for “Forrest Gump” and “Wolverine,” guitars for “Walk the Line” and “A Complete Unknown,” cameras for “Anchorman,” telephones for “Mad Men” and “Bonnie and Clyde,” and Ryan Gosling's piano stool for “La La Land.” The props are now frequently traveling to the locations that are attracting productions away from Los Angeles.