FilmLA, the partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, has issued its 8th update regarding regional filming activity since the reopening of LA County to on-location filming last June.
Over the last thirty-seven weeks, FilmLA has processed approximately 5,533 film permit applications spanning 3,789 unique projects. Film permit applications declined from November, 2020 through January 2021, the surge in COVID-19 cases leading to a substantial drop in local production. But in February, FilmLA received 777 film permit applications, an increase of 43.1 percent compared to the prior month. A late-month surge in production established last month as the third busiest FilmLA has experienced since last June, although activity remains around 40 percent below normal for this time of year.
After health officials gave production permission to move forward, applications peaked in October (880 applications), declining to 813 in November, 613 in December, and just 543 in January.
The three-month decline in production due to rising local COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths matched analyst expectations. In February, SAG-AFTRA, the Producers Guild of America and the Joint Policy Committee — the bargaining group that represents commercial advertisers and advertising agencies – agreed that effective February 1, filming was clear to resume.
Some of the series that recently started and/or resumed filming include All American (the CW), American Crime Impeachment Story (FX), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HB0), Dear White People (Netflix), Generation (HBO Max), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Lone Star (Fox), Seal Team (CBS), Shameless (Showtime), This is Us (NBC), and You (Lifetime).
Reality TV series that shot throughout the region since the first of the year include American Gangster: Trap Queens, Botched, Legendary, Lucky Dog, MTV Cribs, Property Brothers: Forever Home, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Dogs.
Several feature films shot locally, mostly independents. Some of the larger productions include the Michael Bay-directed Ambulance with Jake Gyllenhaal, A24’s C’Mon C’Mon starring Joaquin Phoenix, and Netflix’s Sweet Girl with Jason Momoa and Marisa Tomei.
Commercial productions that shot over the past two months include spots for AT&T, Buick, Jimmy John’s, KIA, Modelo, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen.
FilmLA President Paul Audley adds, “As new COVID-19 case counts diminish and more projects restart production, we are optimistic that the local film economy will soon be back on track. On-location filming, for months conducted safely in observance of strict health protocols, will surely rise again with the reopening of businesses and expanding vaccine availability.”
FilmLA’s COVID-19 Resource Center lists the areas served by FilmLA and their current filming availability. This page also includes links to resources from film industry organizations and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, including mandatory Health Orders that apply to filming on location.
