The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, but that hasn’t stopped Hollywood from resuming—albeit slowly. According to FilmLA, which hands out filming permits in Los Angeles County, 17 productions have recently wrapped filming; they include five scripted television series, five films, and eight reality shows.
FilmLA also reported that from July to September, filming in the area declined 54.5% from the previous years. Despite this hiccup, FilmLA has received an average of 34 film permit applications per day in the month of September and the number of overall projects in production has been slowly trending upward month-to-month. Their data also shows that reality TV and commercials have been having an easier time restarting production because those shoots often operate with smaller crews and casts. Reality TV and commercials made up 46% of the on-location filmed projects.
What a COVID-Safe Set Looks Like, According to the PGA September was also the month that television edged out commercials for new applications for the first time since June. According to FilmLA, “the local film industry’s road to recovery hinges on a planned October restart for scripted Television and Feature projects of scale.”
FilmLA data does not include production that occurs on certified sound stages or on-location in jurisdictions not served by the agency.
Said Paul Audley, president of FilmLA in a statement, “Even while exercising all due caution, we may see a few productions shut down for the sake of worker safety. None of this is incompatible with the County’s road to recovery. This is a system set up by conscientious people, working as designed for the protection of Greater LA.”
The scripted TV series that have wrapped are: “NCIS,” “Animal Kingdom,” “On the Verge,” “L.A. Undercover,” and “Mayans M.C.” The films are “Limbo,” “Soggy Bottom,” “Waking Up Dead,” “Without Remorse,” and “Night Teeth.” The reality shows are “Dancing With the Stars,” “Dog Impossible,” “The Con,” “Wheeler Dealers,” “Botched,” “Celebrity IOU,” and “Guy’s Grocery Games Delivery.”