Los Angeles Production at Just 34% of Normal Levels Since Filming Restrictions Lifted
Filming in Los Angeles County is at just 34% of what would have been expected under normal conditions in this period prior to the coronavirus pandemic, according to FilmLA.
FilmLA announced Wednesday that since local authorities gave the OK to resume remote office operations on June 15 in Los Angeles County, the film office has received approximately 577 film permit applications from 422 unique projects. What’s more, limited filming got underway in the region as early as June 19 after restrictions were loosened.
Most of these are in the advertising industry, including still photography and commercials, but FilmLA says reality TV production has also picked up steam and that production in the county is expected to remain low until scripted TV and feature production picks up, likely by early September.
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“It is not an exaggeration to say that there are few other industries seeking to reopen as responsibly as the film business,” FilmLA president Paul Audley said in a statement. “Hundreds of smaller projects have successfully applied safe set practices as outlined in state and local public health orders. Meanwhile, continuing dialogue between studio and labor representatives is driving focused attention to cast, crew and vendor safety and compliance.”
Currently, all 16 of the city and county jurisdictions served by FilmLA are open to filming, while one of the six school districts served by FilmLA has also reopened to host filming and base camp parking on campus.
In FilmLA’s previous update, it was reported that the industry nearly went dark in Q2, down 97.8% and logging just 194 shoot days in all. Local and state officials had ordered all production to cease on March 20.
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“As production continues to pick up, it’s essential that the hosting communities are assured about the industry’s commitment to safety,” Audley added. “Being closed to the public, the physical film production environment is among the safer work settings available to essential workers in California. The presence of a film company, working with a valid permit and adhering fully to County health orders, is something we hope local communities will welcome.”
You can find the lists of areas served by FilmLA and their current filming availability here, along with other resources from film industry organizations and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, including mandatory health orders that apply to filming on location.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles saw 1,901 new cases of COVID-19, including over 195,000 cases to date and a total of 4,758 deaths.
Read original story Los Angeles Production at Just 34% of Normal Levels Since Filming Restrictions Lifted At TheWrap
