Filming in Los Angeles, California has hit a new low. According to reports, location filming for movies in Los Angeles fell by 35% in the first three months of 2017, which is bad news considering LA once had an increase of filming by 25% towards the end of 2016.
The only type of content that did well NLA was web-based content. Web-content is a short and low-budget content that you typically see on Instagram, Snapchat, or YouTube.
“Feature production levels are proving highly cyclical and difficult to evaluate on a quarter-by-quarter basis,” said Paul Audley, president of FilmLA. “Last year local feature production hit a seven-year high – so trendspotting in this segment requires a deeper dive.”
So why is filming in LA dropping at a considerable rate? The organization said that the lack of open soundstages in Los Angeles is a possible contributing factor behind the reduced number of productions.
Currently, California has a $330 million tax credit to support film and TV productions. However, only a small fraction of those that apply for the tax credit are approved.
In fact, less than 1/4 feature film shot in LA in the first three months of 27 team had tax credit support. Nevertheless, Los Angeles has started a goal of convincing more TV producers to locate their shows in California. Earlier this month, Netflix announced their plans to focus on infrastructure and film all of their productions in Los Angeles, California
