Reality TV production is declining in Los Angeles, resulting in an approximately 21% decrease in TV shooting days
A new report shows that reality TV production in Los Angeles declined sharply this summer, resulting in total TV shooting days falling by nearly 21%.
The total number of filming days in the greater Los Angeles area from July to September was 4,380, down 13.2% from a year ago, according to data from FilmLA, a nonprofit that handles film permits for the Los Angeles area.
The third-quarter data does not reflect the full impact of the state’s newly bolstered movie and TV tax credit program, which was passed this summer.
In the latest round, 22 TV series were selected amid a nearly 400% increase in submissions, with 18 of those shows filmed primarily in the Los Angeles area.
Projects that receive an incentive have 180 days to begin production after notice of award, and it often takes time to begin filming.
For this reason, FilmLA executives were not surprised to see local productions continue to decline during the summer months.
“Fortunately, we are already starting to see early signs that these incentives are having the desired impact,” he said. “We are excited to receive calls from production companies looking to line up their locations and pull permits,” FilmLA Vice President Philip Sokoloski said in a statement.
Television production totaled 1,441 days of filming, down 20.7% compared to the same period last year. This decline is particularly important because television is the main driver of production in the region.
The number of reality TV shooting days decreased to 649 days, down 31.4% compared to last year. Other types of TV production also saw declines, such as dramas (down 19%) and pilots (down 34.5%). However, TV comedy production was a bright spot with 79 shooting days, an increase of 41.1%.
Feature film production was also up in Los Angeles with 522 days of shooting, an increase of 9.7% compared to last year. But commercial productions, which do not receive tax incentives, fell 17.9% to 668 shooting days.
The “other” category in the report, which includes student films, stills and documentaries, saw a decrease of 9.9% to 1,749 days of filming.
A shooting day represents permission for a crew to film in one location during a 24-hour period.