OPTIMISTIC - Film & TV Production in Los Angeles
”Los Angeles Film and TV Production Sees Sluggish Rebound From Strikes, but There’s Optimism” according to a report from FilmLA which notes an anemic return to filming in the region but that jobs appeared to return in full force in March. Filming in Los Angeles has been slow to bounce back after production in the region was decimated by Hollywood’s historic season of strikes.
The main reason for the sluggish rebound: A double-digit drop in television shoots compared to the same period last year.
Also playing a factor in the decline were reductions in content spend across most major studios, series cancellations and runaway production.
While the difference was steep in January (30.6 percent fewer jobs, totaling 2,282), it was modest in February (5.1 percent fewer jobs, totaling 3,061) and nearly unnoticeable by the end of March (a 0.4 percent increase, totaling 3,274 jobs).
There’s optimism in production levels for feature films. The category rose slightly in the quarter, picking up 634 shoot days to finish an estimated 7 percent ahead of the same months last year. Movies in production included Beverly Hills Cop 4, Atlas, and Lurker, all of which are getting tax credits to film in California.
FilmLA also flagged the loss of commercial production — which slipped nearly 10 percent year-over-year and more than 33 percent below the five-year average — to other jurisdictions as a concern. Filming for smaller, lower-cost shoots, such as documentaries, music videos and still photography, similarly fell by roughly 5 percent.
L.A. Production: Sluggish Rebound With Reason for Optimism, FilmLA Says (hollywoodreporter.com)