Getty Images
Deadline Contenders TV
Filming on location in Los Angeles continues to slow due to the ongoing Writers Guild strike, falling 51.5% last week compared to the same period last year. The WGA strike is now in its 23rd day and shows no sign of abating as film and TV shows across the county halt production.
“In a normal week this time of year, dozens of scripted television projects would be actively in production,” said Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmLA, the city and county film licensing office. “By contrast, this week we have only five television series scripts with filming permits, and three of the projects associated with those permits are reported to have stopped production.”
On the remaining two scripted television program permits, he said: “Both relate to non-certified stages and studios. These approvals are usually obtained from the productions every two weeks. In these circumstances, having a stage permit is not a reliable indicator that film work is taking place.”
In the week ended May 21, the number of film and television projects allowed to shoot on location in and around Los Angeles was 151, compared to 311 a year ago. However, these numbers also include permits for reality TV shows and non-union independent films that are unaffected by the strike. It plunged 69.5% year-on-year the week before and fell 51% in the first week of the strike, which began on May 2.