Filming in Los Angeles is picking up, but overall production ended last year at a historic low.
Most types of production made a profit in the three months from October to December, with the exception of reality TV, which recorded the ninth consecutive quarterly decline from a year earlier, according to the latest report released Wednesday by film licensing agency FilmLA. raised. The number of filming days in Los Angeles increased by approximately 6% compared to 2023 to 5,860 days.
But the combined impact of years of runaway production as movies and TV shows chose to shoot in locations with more generous tax incentives, a slower-than-expected strike recovery, and industry contraction , it was too late to salvage last year’s overall decline in filming. . In 2024, the number of on-site filming days was recorded at 23,480 days. This was the second-lowest number FilmLA had ever seen, excluding 2020, when filming was halted due to the pandemic.
The report does not take into account the impact of Los Angeles’ historic wildfires on production, which could further impair filming in the short term.
FilmLA President Paul Awdry said in a statement that many workers in Hollywood and its ancillary industries have been “directly affected by this tragedy” and that “many locations beloved by audiences across the country will once again be on screen.” “We may never go back,” he said. He continued, “As we wait for signs of continued business growth in 2025, no aspect of life in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is affected by recent fire incidents and the heartbreaking loss of lives, homes, businesses, and cherished community spaces.” It is important to recognize that you are not immune to the loss,” he added. ”
While most major types of production saw an increase last quarter, filming for television was down 6.5% year-over-year. The 1,596 days of shooting in this category is only 53% of the five-year average.
Most worryingly, reality TV production continues to decline, with a decline of approximately 45.7 percent compared to the same three-month period in 2023. This put a strain on the entire television sector, which was the backbone of production in the region. Meanwhile, the number of filming days for TV dramas increased from the 2023 level to 528 days, but it is still 36.6% below the five-year average.
There is a bright spot in feature film production, which increased more than 82% last quarter to 589 shooting days. Analysts at FilmLA attributed this increase to independent film activity.
California’s film and television tax incentive program is in the spotlight amid a historic movie production recession in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a budget that significantly increases the current cap on the state’s entertainment industry tax credits from $330 million to $750 million annually. If passed, the grant would be the most generous of any state other than Georgia, which has no cap on annual production costs.
The program’s success will depend heavily on other changes, including expanding the types of expenditures eligible for tax credits and production categories, and increasing the maximum amount of subsidy a single title can receive. California is the only state among major film hubs that excludes some over-the-counter expenses, such as salaries for actors, directors and producers, from being tax deductible.
Some productions that shoot in Los Angeles receive tax benefits by filming in California.
