Thanks largely to a sharp decline in reality television production, on-location filming in Los Angeles decreased by 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2017 versus the same time period last year. The decline came despite gains in feature film and scripted television production during the same period, according to a FilmL.A. report released Wednesday.
TV reality production saw a decline of 20.4 percent, by far the largest single decline in all measured categories. However, other television categories also saw drops. On-location web-based TV production dropped 14.3 percent. On-location TV comedy dropped 17.3 percent. And o-location pilot production dropped 60.3 percent, though the report noted that pilot activity began slow in 2016 due to the record number of shows that were already in production or airing.
Overall, on-location television production declined 9.1 percent during Q3.
Also contributing to the decline in overall on-location filming was a decrease in student filming during Summer, 2017.
However, on-location feature film production saw an increase of 7.6 percent , on-location Commercial production rose 7.2 percent, and on-location TV Drama production rose 4.1 percent, its first quarterly increase in 2017. All total, 9,455 shoot days were logged during the time period.
“It is important to note that despite a year over year decline in numbers for the third quarter, on-location production counts are over 10 percent higher than 5 years ago,” said FilmL.A. President Paul Audley. “Quarterly changes aside, we’ve seen L.A. area film production stabilize at a high level. 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 filmed in the third quarter included “Ad Astra,” “Backseat,” “Book Club” and “Bright.”
Incentivized TV drama projects contributed 35.4 percent and included “Code Black,” “American Horror Story: Cult,” “Heathers,” “Law & Order True Crime,” “Lucifer” and “The Orville.”