L.A. Film, TV Activity Up in 2002

Shooting on the streets of Los Angeles edged up slightly in 2002, although both film and TV activity rebounded strongly in the second half as Hollywood shook off the production hangover caused by its labor tensions in 2001.

Figures from the Entertainment Industry Development Corp. showed permits were issued for 44,415 production days in 2002 for shooting in Los Angeles outside studio lots. That figure was just 1% higher than the 43,976 days a year earlier.

Last year was unusual because of the effects of a “de facto strike” caused when studios, fearing a work stoppage by actors and writers in 2001, dramatically accelerated production schedules.

Even though strikes were averted, studios slowed new projects until well into 2002 as they worked off the backlog of films they had built up.

That slowdown caused production days for feature films to fall 14% in the year to 8,024. But film activity increased in each of the last six months as production headed back toward normal levels.

Television production days rose 18% to 10,867 in 2002, with commercials nearly flat, rising less than 1% to 5,615.

Although EIDC numbers count only projects shot in public places where permits are needed, they are considered a barometer of overall production activity in Los Angeles.