Earlier this month, FilmL.A. released second quarter on-location filming statistics for Greater Los Angeles. Regional on-location Television production increased 33.7 percent over the prior year, totaling 5,761 permitted production days (PPD). Coincidentally, the category also exceeded its 5-year quarterly average by 33.7 percent. FilmL.A. researchers attribute most of the apparent growth to seasonal production shifts, although the California Film & Television Tax Credit also provided a welcome boost to TV Dramas. Last quarter, TV was down 9.2 percent.
In sharp contrast to the previous quarter, nearly all TV subcategories posted Q2 increases, among them TV Drama (up 58.6 percent to 1,191 PPD), TV Reality (up 64.1 percent to 2,550 PPD), TV Sitcom (up 5.5 percent to 402 PPD) and Web-Based TV (up 3.4 percent to 379 PPD). TV Pilot production declined 26.6 percent to 282 PPD.
Television’s weakness in Q1 was driven in part by production delays. Meanwhile, it seems more local crews are working to support the early summer premiere of new and returning shows. This pair of developments helped concentrate production into Q2, with unknown implications for the rest of 2014. FilmL.A. Research is readying a supplemental analysis of local TV Drama production for release in early August.
As in quarters past, California’s film incentive contributed significantly to local production yields. Last quarter, fully 43.2 percent of area TV Drama production (515 PPD) was generated by state-qualified projects. State-qualified Television projects in L.A. included Legends, Major Crimes, Murder in the First and Teen Wolf, among others
Feature production declined 5.3 percent last quarter to 1,665 PPD, with exactly 10.8 percent of the category (180 PPD) attributed to projects awarded the California film incentive. State-qualified Feature projects included American Sniper, Entourage, Scouts vs. Zombies, and The Purge 2. L.A. Feature production levels finished last quarter within 0.1 percent of their 5-year rolling average.
For more information about filming trends in Los Angeles — have a look at the reports prepared by FilmL.A. Research.