There finally is some good news about film production in Los Angeles.
The city and county’s film-permitting office said today that shoot days in Greater L.A. increased by 6.2% in the October-to-December period after 11 consecutive quarters of year-over-year declines.
FilmLA said today that most production types it tracks achieved gains in the fourth quarter, except for Reality TV. But the Q4 gains could not offset the full-year contraction as overall annual production finished the year 5.6% below strike-addled 2023. Overall, 2024 was the second-least-productive year for L.A. production, topping only the Covid-stricken 2020.
The brightest spots in FilmLA’s latest report was in the Feature Film production category, which jumped by 82.4% in the fourth quarter — a gain analysts attribute to indie film activity — and was up by 18.8% for full-year 2024. But the sector still trails its five-year average by 27.6%.
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Scripted Television Drama production also increased dramatically in Q4 over 2023, when the dual Hollywood strikes had the sector at a standstill. The TV Drama category doubled its annual output compared with 2023 but still trails its five-year average by 36.6%.
FilmLA defines as one crew’s permission to film at one or more defined locations during any 24-hour period. The permitting office’s reported five-year average excludes 2020, when the pandemic distorted all historical comparisons.
See theQ4 numbers by category here and more charts below:
The continuing decline of Reality TV production in Los Angeles was among the most disappointing developments of 2024. Shoot days for the sector were down by 45.7% for the fourth quarter — its ninth consecutive quarterly regression — finishing the year down by nearly 46%, which is more than 43.1% below its five-year category average.
“As we await signs of continuing business growth in 2025, it is important we recognize that no aspect of life in Greater Los Angeles is unaffected by recent fire events and the heartbreaking loss of lives, homes, businesses and cherished community spaces,” FilmLA President Paul Audley said in a statement. “Many who participate in the region’s entertainment economy are directly affected by this tragedy, and many places beloved by nationwide audiences may never return to the screen.“
The new year promises to be a pivotal one for the state’s signature industry, with Gov. Gavin Newsom calling for an expansion of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program from $330 million to $750 million per year.
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