Movies

L.A. entertainment production fell last quarter, even as TV started to pick up

BBG News

A recent report reveals that the number of shooting days for productions in Hollywood declined by 6.2% during the months of April to June compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, posing another hurdle for these productions.

In the second quarter, there were a recorded 5,394 shoot days, which is 32.5% less than the same period last year and also lower than the average from the past five years (5,749 and 5-year average), as reported by FilmLA, an organization that monitors filming activities in Greater Los Angeles.

The number of days dedicated to filming feature films and advertisements this year has noticeably dropped compared to last year. According to FilmLA, the production of films declined by about 21.4%, resulting in only 553 shoot days, while the production of commercials decreased by approximately 15.3% to a total of 692 shoot days.

Hollywood Inc.

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Even before the L.A. fires, Hollywood jobs were hard to find. Will the work ever come back?

Amid significant technological, fiscal, and global transformations within Hollywood, California’s iconic entertainment sector and its workforce confront an unyielding truth: The positions that were lost might not return.

One positive aspect was the surge in television production, which experienced a significant growth of 17% over the same period last year, amounting to 2,224 days of on-location filming. This is the highest number since early 2024, but it’s still 32.6% below the average for the past five years, according to FilmLA.

The brighter part of television’s lineup experienced growth, particularly in TV dramas (up by 9.4%), reality TV (up by 29.5%), and pilots (a significant increase of 364.7%). However, the production of comedies on TV saw a decline of 41.5% compared to the previous year.

During the second quarter, TV series like “High Potential” on ABC, “9-1-1” on Fox, and “The Lincoln Lawyer” on Netflix were all filmed in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Hollywood Inc.

The collection of major studio productions and indie films is projected to earn over $302 million in salaries for California employees, according to the commission’s statement.

In the “Miscellaneous” section, encompassing photo sessions, documentaries, student movies, music videos, industrial films, and digital content, there was a 17.3% drop compared to the same period last year.

In simpler terms, California’s entertainment sector has been given a boost with the expansion of its film and television tax credit and a refurbished initiative, making it easier for a wider range of productions to receive financial incentives.

A new law approved by the state legislature and endorsed by Governor Gavin Newsom has boosted the film and TV tax credit cap from $330 million to $750 million. This change, according to industry experts, could lead to more productions being filmed in California, thereby reducing the trend of “runaway production” where projects move to other states or countries that offer attractive incentives.

In a statement, FilmLA President Paul Audley expressed enthusiasm about the new legislation, stating that the organization looks forward to collaborating with their union partners, the industry, and the community. Their goal is to identify methods to make film production in Greater Los Angeles as cost-effective, accessible, and straightforward as possible.

Just last month, the California Film Commission announced that the current version of the state’s film and TV tax credit scheme would offer financial benefits to a total of 48 upcoming film productions.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that the upcoming slate of films – encompassing major studio productions and indie gems – is projected to offer employment opportunities to over 6,500 cast and crew members, along with 32,000 background artists. This means more than 6,500 talented individuals will bring their skills to life on the silver screen, while an additional 32,000 will contribute behind the scenes. Furthermore, these projects are expected to distribute over $302 million in wages to California workers, a significant boost for our local economy.

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2025-07-22 22:31

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