Written by on Jul 12, 2011. Posted in On Location

Los Angeles location filming levels off in Q2

Location filming figures in Los Angeles levelled off in the second quarter of 2011 against the same period last year. Commercial production fell by nearly 8%, while only five feature films shooting in the city took advantage of the state tax credit, compared to 16 in the same period in 2010.

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) made a high-profile announcement last week highlighting the perceived success of California’s tax credit scheme since its inception. This pre-empted the more sobering quarterly figures from FilmLA, suggesting the state is looking to focus on the bigger picture.

A lot of the new shows you’ll see this fall won’t be filming in California. As a result, we’re expecting a lacklustre second half of the year for TV.

Paul Audley, FilmLA

Paul Audley, President of FilmLA, said: “We expect to see features get a boost as a new crop of incentivised projects hits the streets. Unfortunately, the momentum we carried in television may be gone. A lot of the new shows you’ll see this fall won’t be filming in California. As a result, we’re expecting a lacklustre second half of the year for TV.”

There was a 4.5% increase in location shooting days for TV pilots, but the fact remains that New York has been chosen for eight new TV pilots this season. Established TV drama filming increased by more than a quarter on last year, but this is partly due to the fact that shows like biker drama Sons of Anarchy and medical drama Hawthorne are filmed on uncertified sound stages and these need filming permits.