While the world of television and film production has been involved in a lot of stopping and restarting and sometimes stopping again, latest word from FilmLA is somewhat optimistic, even if film permit applications for the City and County of Los Angeles did decrease from October to November. Reasons given range from the 2020 election to the Thanksgiving holiday, as well asa the COVID-19 pandemic for the slowdown.
FilmLa states they’re currently averaging 39 new applications for film permits per business day, having received roughly 3,552 film permit applications for 2,514 unique projects over the past twenty-four weeks since production resumed in June. Application intake decreased 7.6 percent from 880 permits in October to 813 permits in November. The advertising industry, both still photography and commercials, still makes up a 44% combined share of permit requests in November, followed by television with 29%. Feature production currently makes up five percent of permit activity.
FilmLa President Paul Adley said, “The November decrease in production reflects the ongoing complexity of the moment. At this point, progress for production rests, like so many things, on effective community control of COVID-19. The Greater Los Angeles filmmaking community, so fortunate to be able to remain working, continues to be mindful of safe set rules.”
Some of the features films that began filming in the Greater L.A. areas in November include independents To Leslie (BCDF Pictures), He’s All That (Miramax), Jacqfro Productions’ Story of Women and Bow Tie Productions’ Rescue Rangers. Paul Thomas Anderson‘s next movie, Soggy Bottom, was also filming in the area last month.
Some of the television shows that began L.A. production in November include The Kominsky Method (Netflix), Colin in Black and White (Netflix), Love Victor (Hulu), Triage (ABC), You (Lifetime), Dave (FX), American Crime Story: Impeachment (FX) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO).
Travel Channel‘s The Dead Files, Jay Leno’s Garage (NBC), and American Gangster: Trap Queens (BET) were some of the reality shows in production last month.
Of course, if you subscribe to Below the Line’s regularly-updated Production Listings, you may already know about much of the above.
Popeyes, Carvana, Pandora, Experian, Loews, McDonalds and Taco Bell were some of the products and brands shooting commercials in the L.A. area in November.
You can learn more about the areas served by FilmLA and availability at the COVID-19 Resource Center lists the areas served by FilmLA and their current filming availability. You can also find links to resources from film industry organizations and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health there, including mandatory Health Orders that apply to filming on location.
