The increase in tax breaks to allow more filming in Los Angeles County is beginning to show benefits. On-location filming in the Los Angeles area increased by 11.4 percent in the first three months of the year, compared to the same period last year, and was powered in part by a large jump in television comedy production, according to statistics released this week.
According to FilmL.A., the nonprofit group that serves as the film office for the city and county of Los Angeles, the number of “shoot days,” or permitted on-location production, increased to 9,703, compared to 8,707 during the first three months of 2015.
Local television comedy production played a large role in the boost, jumping by more than 83 percent, from 304 shoot days during the first quarter of 2015 to 557 in the same period this year. Overall television production increased 19.1 percent, while feature film shoot days increased 23.7 percent.
“We predicted we’d see a boost in feature production in the first quarter thanks to the state tax credit, and we’re glad to see that happening,” FilmL.A. President Paul Audley said. “In addition, as the non-incentivized counts show, Los Angeles remains a popular choice among film, television and commercial producers.
Television productions that benefited from state tax credits included “Rosewood,” “Twin Peak” “Westword,” “Veep” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” according to FilmL.A. “Veep” relocated its production to Los Angeles from Maryland last year.
Production of commercials increased by 6.1 percent, from 1,435 last year to 1,523 in the first three months of this year.
Amy Lemisch, executive director of the California Film Commission, said the numbers show the impact of state tax credits and prove that the program “is working precisely as intended to attract and retain all types of productions, especially TV projects that create steady long-term jobs for cast and crew.”
