FilmLA Reports Sharp Decline in On-Location Production in Q2, While Reality TV Spikes Upward

variety.com:

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor FilmLA has reported a sharp production decline in 2023’s second quarter. On-location production was down 28.8 percent from April to June, with only 6,566 shoot days.

The data captures the impact of the Writers Guild of America strike, which began on May 2. The actors union did not begin striking until July. “Greater Los Angeles is the North American epicenter of scripted television production.

Before long, this sector’s shutdown will be felt in every corner of the regional economy,” said FilmLA’s president Paul Audley. “Like all others watching with hope from the sidelines, we are eager to see the studios and unions reopen their contract negotiations,” Audley continued. “Much is at stake for WGA and SAG-AFTRA members, and also for the small business supply chain on which future filming depends.” Feature film production dropped by 18.9 percent with only 728 shoot days, 26.6 percent below the category’s five-year average.

Nearly all feature projects still in production on-location in Los Angeles from April through June were smaller, independent productions.