FilmL.A.–the nonprofit organization that coordinates permits for filmed entertainment shot on location in the City of Los Angeles, unincorporated parts of L.A. County and other local jurisdictions–reports that on-location lensing across short and long-form categories declined 24.5 percent in the first half of 2009 as compared to the same six-month period in ’08. Per film permit data, there were 19,015 permitted production days in January through June ’09 while the first half of ’08 had a tally of 25,196 permitted production days.
On-location feature film production posted the largest year-to-date decline of any category, down 52.5 percent compared to ’08 (2,314 vs. 4,868 production days). The category has posted four straight quarters of double-digit losses and has seen annual declines in ten of the last dozen years, as feature productions have left L.A. for other incentive-rich jurisdictions.
Permitted production days for commercials are down 31.1 percent (2,459 vs. 3,570 production days) year to date. The commercials category–which as experienced year-over-year annual losses in ’06, ’07 and ’08–has also posted four straight quarters of double-digit losses.
Television has performed better as a category, decreasing only 4.2 percent (8,277 vs. 8,636 production days) year to date compared to ’08. The WGA labor action introduced rollercoaster-like production swings in ’08 that led to illusory 49 percent year-over-year gains for TV in the first quarter of ’09 and 30.7 percent losses in the second.
Year-to-date figures for the major TV subcategories reveal a mixed picture. TV dramas are up 9.5 percent year to date (2,777 vs 2,537 production days). TV sitcoms are down 37.5 percent year to date (409 vs. 654 production days). TV reality dropped 12 percent year to date (2,863 vs. 3,255 production days), after a significant second quarter drop of 33.2 percent. TV pilots are up 10.8 percent year to date (563 to 508 production days) buoyed by first quarter gains.
“Our recent television production figures have been all over the map due to last year’s work stoppage,” said FilmL.A. president Paul Audley. “But, we are deeply concerned by our long-term loss of commercial and feature film production. The advertising sector has been hard hit by the economy, and feature films are consistently shot in incentive-generous locales outside California.”
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More