Location shoot days in Los Angeles City and County increased significantly in January 2000, over the same month of the previous year. According to the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC), the public/private sector partnership that oversees the Los Angeles City/County Film Office, there were 2,144 location production days this past January, a 16 percent hike over the January ’99 tally of 1,847.
Commercial shoot days rose 38 percent to 648, as compared to 469 in January ’99. Also up were theatrical features, which accounted for 538 days—10 more than the same period in ’99. Television programs surged to 790, compared to 697 in January ’99. And music videos increased to 168 from 153 shoot days.
The January 2000 numbers also surpassed January ’98 levels in the categories of commercials (572), TV programs (663) and music videos (112), and came close to matching ’97 in volume.
As earlier reported (SHOOT, 1/21, p. 8), location filming days were flat in ’99, increasing only slightly over ’98. Of last month’s rise in filming, EIDC president Cody Cluff observed: "We talked about a flattening-out in production [in ’99], and hopefully Los Angeles has weathered the worst of the current storm."
While the January 2000 numbers are encouraging, some speculate that the rise in spot location lensing may be due in part to uncertainty over how negotiations for a new actors’ commercials contract will turn out. There is conjecture that some advertisers and agencies may be looking to get as much work done as possible before the current contract expires on March 31 (SHOOT, 2/4, p. 1). The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists formally began talks earlier this week (2/14) with the Joint Policy Committee, which represents the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers.
Another factor that was thought to contribute to the strong January showing was the clearing of the Y2K hurdle. Perhaps some advertisers were waiting to make sure there were no widespread computer problems during early January. Once it was determined that the infrastructure had not been compromised, advertisers green-lighted production that had been in a holding pattern.
