Doomsday warning for Hollywood as LA shoot days plummet in latest figures

Key Points:

• FilmLA's second quarter report shows a 13% decline in film and TV production shoot days in Los Angeles compared to the same period last year, with 4,711 shoot days logged versus 5,394 in Q2 2025.
• Television production saw mixed results: overall TV shoot days dropped 27.7% year-over-year, but TV drama shoot days fell only 6.4%, and Q2 TV shoot days rose 34.4% from Q1 2026, boosted by high-profile shows like Fox’s "Baywatch" reboot and Hulu’s "Prison Break" reboot.
• Feature film production decreased nearly 20% year-over-year and 36% from Q1 2026, while commercial production also declined by 21.5% compared to last year and 32% from the previous quarter.
• Reality TV production dropped 39.9% year-over-year but showed a 32% increase from Q1 2026, with productions like "America’s Got Talent" and "American Idol" continuing to film in the greater LA area.
• Despite the overall production downturn, LA Mayor Karen Bass highlighted the positive impact of local incentives, noting that incentivized productions are increasing and contributing to union jobs and economic opportunities in the city.