Summer Surge in Television Tops Record Year for L.A. Production

Summer Surge in Television Tops Record Year for L.A. Production EIDC Warns 'Reality Check' Possible in '05 HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- A sizzling summer production season driven by growth in reality programming helped generate strong 2004 year-end figures for film and television production in Los Angeles. Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) figures released today indicate that location production rose during the year in nearly every category measured. Most of the growth occurred during the summer, which experienced a 32% hike over '03, and a whopping 74% increase over the 10-year seasonal average. "The rise in summer production may well become a new trend," said EIDC President Steve MacDonald. "Shows such as '24' require shooting virtually year-round to produce more than the standard 22 episodes per season." MacDonald also pointed to the proliferation of new programming venues and the networks' reluctance to rely on repeats as additional factors. Location production days for 2004 totaled a record 52,707 -- a 19.16% increase over 2003. The largest gain was in television production, which rose 26.83% to 18,257 days, topping the 10-year average. Reality programming led TV categories, accounting for 47.10% of small screen production(1). L.A.'s share of feature film production also rose 18.80% to 8,707 days, reversing an eight-year decline. While the numbers show 2004 to be a very productive year, feature films still remain far below their record highs. In addition, even reality shooting showed signs of cooling off at year's end. Reality location permits dropped during the fourth quarter of 2004 from the year's high of 55.91% to 39% of overall TV production. "Last summer's surge in location-intensive reality shooting may not be sustained, with the success of scripted shows such as 'Desperate Housewives,'" added MacDonald. "We will have a clearer view of where television production is going once we head into pilot season." MacDonald also warns that the 2004 figures released today mask the fact that Los Angeles faces a very real threat from other cities, states and nations that offer increasingly aggressive incentives to lure production. "We must not let today's positive figures blind us to the reality that Los Angeles is the target of an all out campaign to seize our signature industry," said MacDonald. MacDonald also emphasized that outside incentives have reached a level that calls for a coordinated response from local industry leaders and government officials. "We must make protecting L.A.'s entertainment industry a priority." The year end figures released by EIDC represent the number of days of location shooting in the City of Los Angeles and a handful of other cities, as well as unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, the Angeles National Forest and more than 800 facilities operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District. They do not include production that occurs only on sound stages or in surrounding cities such as Beverly Hills, Pasadena and Santa Monica. Figures are based on the permit applications EIDC handles, which account for about 80 % of all permits for shooting in Los Angeles County. Permit levels are considered a key barometer of the health of the L.A. region's entertainment industry. About the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) EIDC is a 501c(4) non profit corporation working on behalf of film & media producers, Los Angeles area residents and local government to sustain Los Angeles' position as the global leader in film and media production. EIDC is not a government agency, but holds contracts with several cities and other government agencies to facilitate filming. (1) 2004 television data categorized by genre available only for the period July-December. Source: Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) CONTACT: Erik Deutsch of ExcelPR Group, +1-323-851-2455, or pager +1-818-410-4540, erikd@excelpr.com, for Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC); or Philip Sokoloski of Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC), +1-323-957-1000, ext. 130, philip_sokoloski@eidc.com ------- Profile: International Entertainment