FilmLA Report Reveals Scripted Production Slump in Los Angeles

According to the third annual Scripted Content Study released by FilmLA, film and television production within the greater Los Angeles area experienced a significant decline in 2024. The data shows a 14.2% drop in production activity compared to the preceding year, an outcome heavily influenced by the protracted dual Hollywood strikes that disrupted the 2023 calendar. While the 2024 plunge was an improvement over the 20% fall recorded in 2023, the overall numbers reflect a sustained period of contraction.

National Contraction and Local Market Share Erosion

The study meticulously analyzes the filming locations utilized for U.S.-produced, first-run, English-language scripted film and television projects released and/or distributed during 2024, focusing specifically on the city and county of Los Angeles.

Across the United States, the total number of scripted project releases declined by 13.4%, dropping from 990 projects in 2023 to 857 in 2024. Los Angeles experienced an even steeper local decline of 31%, falling from 228 projects to 157. This sharp reduction caused the city's market share of total U.S. scripted releases to slip from 22% to 18%.

Despite these headwinds, the local industry received an assist from the State of California, which earlier in the year expanded its Film and Television Tax Credit Program. This legislative action increased the annual funding available to $\$750$ million and broadened the categories of eligible productions, aiming to stabilize and reverse the outbound trend.

Category Performance Breakdown

An examination of specific content categories reveals a varied landscape:

• Scripted Television Series releases saw a total decline of 15% nationally, dropping from 365 series in 2023 to 310 in 2024. Los Angeles felt this contraction particularly hard, experiencing a 27% decline in locally filmed scripted television series.

• Theatrical Release Movies demonstrated a resilience contrary to the overall trend, increasing nationally by 13% (199 to 225 projects) for the second consecutive year.

• TV Movies saw the most dramatic decline, plunging nearly 35% (284 to 185 projects).

• Streaming Movies experienced a more moderate decline of 3.5% (142 to 137 projects).

When comparing the proportion of scripted releases filmed in Los Angeles between 2023 and 2024, the absolute number of locally filmed projects fell from 183 to 157. However, Los Angeles saw a significantly higher proportion of locally made projects within two key film categories in 2024 versus 2023: theatrical releases (25 projects in 2024 versus 21 in 2023) and streaming movies (29 projects in 2024 versus 17 in 2023). Overall, FilmLA Research determined that approximately 18.3% of all scripted projects released in 2024 filmed in Los Angeles, representing a year-over-year difference of less than 1% from 2023.

Los Angeles's Enduring Market Leadership

The report quantifies the amount of scripted content released each year and determines the percentage filmed in Los Angeles versus other locales. Despite the contraction, Los Angeles maintained its position as the top jurisdiction in several key distribution categories:

• Scripted TV Series: Los Angeles held the highest market share (27%) for U.S.-distributed scripted television series (across streaming, cable, and broadcast). This was followed by the UK, Georgia, British Columbia, New York, and Ontario.

• Feature Films: L.A. topped the list for distributed feature films, followed by New York, the UK, Georgia, and New Jersey.

• Streaming Movies: Los Angeles led the market for distributed movies on streaming platforms.

• Original TV Movies: This category saw British Columbia lead, followed by Los Angeles for Original TV Movies Distributed across broadcast and cable.

The study clarifies that its count is based on the year of release, not the year of production, categorizing scripted television series into streaming, cable, and broadcast subcategories, and feature films into TV movies, theatrical release movies, and streaming movies.