FilmLA Q3 Report: L.A. On-Location Shoot Days Fall Another 4.8% as Incentivized Productions Reach 40% of Scripted Filming
FilmLA, the nonprofit that coordinates film permits for the Los Angeles area, released its third-quarter report on October 21: on-location production totaled 4,171 shoot days from July through September 2026, down 4.8 percent from 4,380 a year earlier and nearly 29 percent below the five-year average.
At the same time, California's expanded production incentive is having an effect: incentivized productions accounted for 40.3 percent of scripted on-location filming, nearly double their share a year earlier, and logged 505 shoot days versus 242 in the third quarter of 2025. Television comedy shoot days jumped from 79 to about 193, while commercial production — which cannot qualify for state credits — fell 16 percent to 562 shoot days. FilmLA CEO Denise Gutches said that where the tax credit applies, it is working to bring productions back to Los Angeles and put local crews to work, but that overall production remains far below where Los Angeles needs it to be. Earlier this month, California approved incentives for 35 films expected to bring a combined 1,049 shoot days statewide.
By category, television production totaled 1,400 shoot days, down 2.8% year over year, while feature film production rose 2.1% to 533 shoot days. The comedy rebound was driven by locally shot series such as "Shrinking" and "I Love LA." FilmLA's figures do not include productions shot exclusively on soundstages or animated productions.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 派拉蒙影业 Melrose 大门。图：Wikimedia Commons「Paramountpicturesmelrosegate.jpg」，CC BY-SA 4.0 授权。 / Photo: the Melrose gate of Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles. Source: Wikimedia Commons ("Paramountpicturesmelrosegate.jpg"), CC BY-SA 4.0.
