On-location production in Greater Los Angeles rose 18 percent the first quarter of 2010 as compared to the same quarter last year based on figures released by FilmL.A., the not-for-profit community benefit organization that coordinates filming permits for location shoots in the City of Los Angeles, L.A. County and other select local jurisdictions in the area. A total of 11,087 permitted production days (PPD) were recorded for January-March 2010, compared to the 9,408 logged during the first three months of ’09.
Helping to drive this growth were commercials which jumped a whopping 61 percent from 1,266 PPD during the first quarter of ’09 to 2,034 PPD for the same period this year. The increase provided the commercials category–beset by annual declines since ’06–its strongest quarterly showing in three years.
The quarter saw a marked increase in the number of automobile commercials, which had fallen off in ’08 and ’09 as the recession led to reductions in ad spending. Sixty-six car spots were shot on location in L.A. during the first three months of ’10–31 more than were lensed the first quarter of ’09.
There’s been industry conjecture as to what has fueled the jump in automotive ad activity, a prevalent factor cited being the massive recall of Toyota models due to safety concerns. For one, Toyota itself seems to have stepped up its spot production to retain business in light of the problems it’s encountering, with deaths and accidents being attributed to alleged acceleration problems in several of its vehicle models.
At the same time, other automotive manufacturers view Toyota’s woes as an opportunity to win back marketplace share, thus spurring on the creation and production of aggressive ad campaigns.
In the big picture, a turn in the economy from recession to at least a slow recovery may have sparked increased commercial production spanning automobiles and other product categories.
Additionally, FilmL.A. spokesperson Todd Lindgren cited the Winter Olympics–a mega TV event–as a first quarter catalyst for the jump in spot location filming which benefited Los Angeles.
Impact of incentives
Still, though, some question whether the upturn in commercials can hold over the long haul given California’s lack of financial incentives for spot production as compared to many other states which offer tax credits, rebates and other economic enticements to the advertising industry.
By contrast, California does offer an incentives package for certain qualifying feature film and TV projects. The California Film and Television Tax Credit has helped Greater L.A. register a one percent gain for the just wrapped quarter (929 PPD) as compared to the same span in ’09 (921 PPD). From January through March ’10, a total of 11 state-incentivized feature film projects shot on location in the region, translating into 184 PPD or 20 percent of the quarterly yield for this year’s opening quarter.
“I can say with certainty that most, if not all, of the incentivized feature films would not have shot in California were it not for out tax credit program,” stated Amy Lemisch, director of the California Film Commission, which administers the program.
Meanwhile TV production–which has endured three consecutive quarters of double-digit percentage losses–managed a first quarter gain this year of 14 percent (4,881 PPD in ’10 vs. 4,279 PPD in ’09). TV pilots and reality TV led among TV subcategories with PPD gains of 42 percent and 38 percent, respectively. However, TV dramas and sitcoms declined 17 percent and six percent, respectively.
The television pilot season performed well, with more projects shot in the region than in prior years. Of the 129 total projects FilmL.A. tracked in the ’09/’10 development cycle, 76 filmed in Los Angeles, giving the region a 59 percent share of overall TV pilot production. This share is slightly larger than what L.A. captured during the previous development cycle. L.A. landed 59 out of 103 available projects for a 57 percent stake in ’08/’09.
Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey Launch Production House 34North
Executive producers Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey have teamed to launch 34North. The shop opens with a roster which includes accomplished directors Jan Wentz, Ben Nakamura Whitehouse, David Edwards and Mario Feil, as well as such up-and-coming filmmakers as Glenn Stewart and Chris Fowles. Nakamura Whitehouse, Edwards, Feil and Fowles come over from CoMPANY Films, the production company for which Cicero served as an EP for the past nearly five years. Director Wentz had most recently been with production house Skunk while Stewart now gains his first U.S. representation. EP Clancey was freelance producing prior to the formation of 34North. He and Cicero have known each other for some 25 years, recently reconnecting on a job directed by Fowles. Cicero said that he and Clancey “want to keep a highly focused roster where talent management can be one on one--where we all share in the directors’ success together.” Clancey also brings an agency pedigree to the new venture. “I started at Campbell Ewald in accounts, no less,” said Clancey. “I saw firsthand how much work agencies put in before we even see a script. You have to respect that investment. These agency experiences really shaped my approach to production--it’s about empathy, listening between the lines, and ultimately making the process seamless.” 34North represents a meeting point--both literally and creatively. Named after the latitude of Malibu, Calif., where the idea for the company was born, it also embraces the power of storytelling. “34North118West was the first GPS-enabled narrative,” Cicero explained. “That blend of art and technology, to captivate an audience, mirrors what we do here--create compelling work, with talented people, harnessing state-of-the-art... Read More