Movie and TV filming in Los Angeles tumbles 22%
The industry has suffered multiple setbacks over the last few years, from shutdowns related to Covid-19 and labour disputes to strategic changes at the studios
[LOS ANGELES] Movie and TV filming in the greater Los Angeles area declined 22 per cent in the first quarter, reflecting a worldwide slump in production and California’s continued loss of business to other areas.
Television production, the biggest part of the industry, fell 31 per cent, while feature film production was down 29 per cent, the permitting office FilmLA said on Monday (Apr 14).
The size of the decline lays bare Hollywood’s retrenchment in recent years. TV production peaked in Los Angeles in 2021 at 18,560 annual shoot days. Since then, production has shrunk by more than half, FilmLA said.
“As the largest and hardest-hit segment of LA’s film production economy, declines in television carry wide employment repercussions,” FilmLA said.
The wildfires earlier in the year that devastated parts of Los Angeles only had a temporary effect, according to the permit group. Those areas accounted for just 1.3 per cent of all regional filming over the past four years, though the fires did displace workers and force some productions to reschedule.
The industry has suffered multiple setbacks over the last few years, from shutdowns related to Covid-19 and labour disputes to strategic changes at the studios. Major media companies have all cut production and jobs to boost profitability, particularly in their streaming operations.
All of the major filming categories declined during the first quarter, FilmLA said. Commercials were down the least, with a decline of 2.1 per cent.
To reinvigorate California’s entertainment economy, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom submitted a proposal in October to more than double the state’s annual tax credits for film and TV production to US$750 million. The move was a result of a so-called “offshoring” trend that’s seen productions shoot outside California to tap larger rebates and take advantage of cheaper labour.
In March, the California Film Commission said 51 film projects had been selected for tax credits, the largest number in history, which combined are expected to generate roughly US$580 million in economic activity and employ over 6,490 cast and crew. BLOOMBERG
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