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Film production in LA stabilizes above pre-pandemic levels
Film/Binge Jul 20, 2022
| Photo courtesy of Denise Jans/Unsplash
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On-location filming in the greater Los Angeles area remained above pre-pandemic levels during the second quarter of the year, although production levels fell slightly from the same quarter last year, according to a report released Wednesday by FilmLA.
Despite the slight dip in production between April 1 and June 30, the industry still fared better than the same time period in each of the two years prior to the pandemic. FilmLA reported 9,220 shoot days in the second quarter of 2022, which was more than the second quarters of both 2019 (8,632 shoot days) and 2018 (8,978 shoot days).
“We expected we would see production return to pre-pandemic levels sometime within the year, and now here we are,” Paul Audley, the president of FilmLA, said in a statement. “Resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with industry leaders taking steps to protect both worker and community safety, we have confidence in the film industry’s ability to sustain local production at or above its historic levels.”
Filming in the second quarter was down by 5.8% compared to the numbers during the same time period last year, according to the nonprofit FilmLA, which acts as the city and county film office. The second quarter of 2021 saw 9,791 shoot days.
Feature production was up 9% compared to the same period last year with 898 shoot days, though still 16.4% below the five-year average for the category. The five-year average excludes 2020 because of the pandemic. “Barbie” (Warner Bros.), “Being Mortal” (Searchlight Pictures), an untitled Jonah Hill project (Netflix), and the remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” (20th Century Studios) were among the larger feature film productions shot in the Los Angeles area, according to FilmLA.
Television production fell by 15.8% compared to the second quarter of last year, but remained 12.7% above its five-year average. Shows in production included “Little America” (Apple TV+), “Dead to Me” (Netflix), “Euphoria” (HBO), “Snowfall” (FX), “Station 19” (ABC), and the final season of “This is Us” (NBC).
Reality television production rose by 6.7% from last year’s second quarter and was 96.4% above the five-year average, with “American Idol” (ABC), “Buried in the Back Yard” (Oxygen), “Hip Hop My House” (Paramount+) and “LA Fire and Rescue” (NBC) produced locally.
According to the report, television comedy production — which included “Barry” (HBO) and “Chad” (TBS) — was higher by 61.8% compared to the second quarter of last year, but was 20.7% below the five-year average.
Commercial production fell in the second quarter. The 1,110 shooting days were 28.1% lower than the number of days during last year’s second quarter and 21.4% lower than the five-year average.
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