On-location filming in Greater Los Angeles decreased 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2017 vs. the third quarter of 2016, according to a FilmL.A. report. In all, 9,455 Shoot Days (SD) were logged during the period, including all categories tracked by the nonprofit. Among all filming categories, on-location feature production rose 7.6 percent yielding 1,172 SD this quarter. On-location commercial production rose 7.2 percent, yielding 1,335 SD, and TV drama production increased 4.1 percent to 1,231 SD–the first quarterly increase seen this year.
The overall drop of 3.5 percent over the same period in 2016 was driven by a decline in TV reality (down 20.4 percent to 1,068 SD), which continues to be crowded out by a shift to scripted content. Also driving the decrease was a drop in student filming over the summer, which FilmL.A. tracks in the “Other” category.
On-location television production fell 9.1 percent overall, yielding 4,021 SD overall for the quarter. Web-based TV (down 14.3 percent with 558 SD), TV comedy (down 17.3 percent to 534 SD), and TV pilots (down 60.3 percent to 60 SD) declined also. As FilmL.A. research noted in its 2017 Pilot Production Report, local TV pilot activity began to slow in 2016, due to the record number of shows that are already in production or airing.
“It is important to note that despite a year over year decline in numbers for the third quarter, on-location production counts are over 16 percent higher than five years ago. Quarterly changes aside, we’ve seen L.A. area film production stabilize at a high level,” observed Paul Audley, president of FilmL.A. “That brings a steadier employment picture for area cast and crew, and relief to local small business owners happy to see filming come back.”
The California Film & Television Tax Credit Program contributed 133 feature film incentive filming days or 11.3 percent for the quarter. Incentivized features which filmed in the third quarter were Ad Astra, Backseat, Book Club and Bright.
Incentivized TV drama projects contributed 35.4 percent, or 436 of the total shoot days in that category in the third quarter. Incentivized TV drama projects filming in Q3 were Code Black, American Horror Story: Cult, Heathers, Law & Order True Crime, Lucifer and The Orville.
Incentivized TV pilot projects contributed 16.6 percent, or 10 of the total SD in the quarter. One incentivized TV Pilot project filmed in the period: Olive Forever.
“The California Film and Television Tax Credit has proven to be a vital tool in the fight against runaway production. And it is delivering results for the men and women who are the heart and soul of our entertainment industry — the people who swing the hammers, drive the trucks, run the cable, and serve the food on set,” stated L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This report contains a lot of good news, but it also shows that we still have a lot of work to do to keep jobs and revenue in our state. We must continue investing in our middle class, and doing everything possible to keep production in the creative capital of the world.”
