Second Quarter a Near-Total Loss for On-Location Filming

FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, today updated its quarterly report series quantifying on-location filming within its service area. The new report, comparing April- June 2020 with the same period in the prior year, offers a stark portrait of an industry on lockdown – revealing that overall production declined 97.8 percent to just 194 Shoot Days* (SD) last quarter. Unsurprisingly, last quarter also returned the lowest filming levels on record. By State and County order, production remained shut down from March 20 to June 15.

Although State and County officials gave film production the green light to resume in late June, the return to work to-date has been gradual and cautious. The COVID-19 pandemic affected all industry sectors in the second quarter, including the region’s primary production sector, television (down 98.2 percent to 52 SD) and secondary production sector, commercials (down 95.5 percent to 58 SD). Feature film production, the third-largest industry segment also took a hit (down 99.7 percent to 3 SD).

For a detailed status update on production’s recent resumption in Greater Los Angeles, refer to FilmLA’s COVID-19 Resource Center.

“The first shutdowns we saw in March were voluntary, and it was hoped they could be temporary. Looking back, it was hard to imagine the impact the pandemic would have on entertainment projects in progress, and the economic security of local cast, crew, and production vendors. The good news is that production is starting to responsibly return, with advertising shoots, commercials, and limited television production now coming online. All permitted filming must comply with Health Orders as issued by County authorities. The measure of compliance we’re seeing is a real help in keeping the industry on the road to recovery.”

Paul Audley, President of FilmLA