Hey there! In the last quarter of 2024, the Greater Los Angeles area saw a bump in film and TV production. It went up by 6.2%! Unfortunately, reality TV didn’t share in the good times – it’s still on a bit of a downslide.
But let’s not overlook the challenges that these productions faced. Wildfires that year wreaked havoc not only on the environment, but also the TV and film industry. Yet there’s still some good news. A tax credit expansion acted like Superman and saved the day for a lot of productions.
The Fire’s Impact on LA
Southern California faced a tough fight with wildfires in 2024. The fires tore through thousands of buildings and forced people from places like Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Altadena to pack up and leave. Over 15,000 acres in Pacific Palisades and Malibu and 10,000 acres in Altadena turned to ash.
During the fires, film and TV production in those areas almost stopped completely. There was a huge drop in shooting days and permit applications. Still, many filmmakers put safety first and moved their productions to studio lots instead of on-location shooting.
After all, firefighting isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies. Real firefighters need room to do their job. So producers have been coordinating with FilmLA to shoot in areas that don’t get in the way.
Supporting the Local Industry
Paul Audley, the President of FilmLA, spoke about how important it is to support the local industry no matter what’s going on. He was referring to both the positive uptick in production and the devastating wildfires.
“Los Angeles isn’t what it used to be because of these recent fires,” Audley said. “But even in our sadness and loss, let’s not forget to appreciate the little growth we managed in film and TV production.”
The Role of Tax Credits in Boosting Production
Remember the tax credit expansion we mentioned earlier?
Well, Governor Gavin Newsom played a huge part in that. He pushed for the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program to go up from $330 million to $750 million each year. That’s quite the jump, and experts believe it played a huge role in piquing producers’ interest.
This credit had a leading role in achieving an 82.4% rise in feature film production. Almost 20% of feature and on-location TV drama production benefited from these credits in the last quarter of 2024.
A Look at Different Types of Production
In the reality TV world, things were a bit gloomy. There were 45.7% fewer shooting days than the last quarter of 2023. But feature films told a different story! They saw a big leap of 82.4% in shooting days.
Scripted TV dramas improved too, with shooting days more than doubling compared to last year’s numbers. Commercials had a small rise, while smaller-scale projects like music videos and documentaries rose by 6.1% in the last quarter.
Looking Ahead
Yes, 2024 was the second least productive year in FilmLA’s records, with 2020 in the lead because of the COVID-19 chaos. But things are looking up!
With the wildfires under control and a bigger, better tax credit on the way, the industry might get its groove back in 2025. So, all you filmmakers, studios, and even local authorities, keep your eyes peeled. You might see LA rising from the ashes and regaining its title as a top-notch filming location.
For more information on production data and how to get your hands on filming permits, check out FilmLA’s website. Skedaddle! Check the full story on Project Casting.