Los Angeles is experiencing yet another challenging summer for film and television production, with recent reports indicating a drop in shoot days amidst an already difficult year. According to FilmLA, the July to September quarter saw a 5% decline in production days, totaling 5,048. This figure marks the lowest quarterly output for 2024, and disappointingly, it falls short of the levels recorded during the strike-impacted third quarter of 2023.
Production of scripted television appeared to stall over the summer, creating additional concerns for the industry as the reality TV sector saw a significant decline, retreating just before the peak production season of the year. The film-permitting office in L.A. reported that this summer was the second slowest on record, highlighting a continued struggle to meet expectations as the industry attempts to rebound from the post-Covid era and the streaming boom.
The analysis from FilmLA shows that all categories of scripted production are now lagging behind their adjusted five-year averages, both on a quarterly and year-to-date basis. In this latest quarter, scripted TV producers logged just 758 shoot days over essential categories such as TV Drama, TV Comedy, and TV Pilots. Meanwhile, unscripted filming fell off drastically, with reality television production plummeting by over 56%, resulting in only 946 shoot days—enough to account for most of the overall decrease in shooting activity.
Despite these grim figures, there was a glimmer of optimism for those in the local entertainment workforce as feature film production enjoyed a robust increase, rising by 26.6% and totaling 476 days in the same quarter. Several summer TV productions, including titles like Forever, High Potential, Matlock, and Orphan, also found a home in Greater Los Angeles, thanks in part to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. Notably, seasoned shows like S.W.A.T. and The Rookie contributed to this, collectively accounting for nearly a quarter of all recorded shoot days for TV Dramas.
FilmLA President Paul Audley emphasized the effectiveness of California’s film incentive program, stating that it has proven to be a creator of employment opportunities with studies showing that every dollar allocated brings a net positive return. However, he pointed out that the program needs more funding and revised eligibility criteria to better reflect the industry’s current outputs.
In defining a “shoot day,” FilmLA specifies it as a single crew’s authorization to film at one or more designated locations during a full 24-hour period. Interestingly, the office’s five-year average excludes the tumultuous year of 2020, which skews historical comparisons.
As the industry continues to navigate these tumultuous waters, the future remains uncertain, but the hope is that the combination of tax credits and innovative strategies will help rejuvenate Los Angeles as a premier destination for film and television production.