California boosts market share of TV shoots

California increased its market share of US TV shoots in the 2017-18 development cycle, hosting 41% of American productions, up from below 40%.

By Nick Goundry 15 Feb 2019

California boosts market share of TV shoots
The Orville

California increased its market share of US TV shoots in the 2017-18 development cycle, hosting 41% of American productions, up from below 40%.

Sixty-five of an overall 159 US TV shows filmed in California, the FilmLA figures revealed.

New York was the state’s closest – albeit distantly – US competitor with 21 productions, while Canadian hubs British Columbia and Ontario were the next most popular locations for US shoots with 27 between them.

Most (44) of the TV shoots in California were half-hour shows, costing around $3m for first episodes, while the remainder (21) were hour-long formats that now come in at between $6m and $9m for their first episodes.

High-spending TV shows that received California’s filming incentive support included new seasons of crime drama S.W.A.T., that logged qualifying expenditure of more than $77m, and Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi comedy show The Orville (pictured) that spent just under $70m.

A third series of sci-fi TV adaptation Westworld is scheduled to spend $115m in the state.

Last year California extended its filming incentive support programme through to 2025, but the state still faces a long-term challenge attracting big-budget Hollywood features.

The state has had high-profile recent successes hosting films like Captain Marvel and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but Los Angeles faces stiff competition from Georgia, Vancouver and Toronto.

See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in California.

Main page image: FreeImages.com/Mana Media; The Orville image: Fox

New York was the state’s closest – albeit distantly – US competitor with 21 productions, while Canadian hubs British Columbia and Ontario were the next most popular locations for US shoots with 27 between them.

Most (44) of the TV shoots in California were half-hour shows, costing around $3m for first episodes, while the remainder (21) were hour-long formats that now come in at between $6m and $9m for their first episodes.

High-spending TV shows that received California’s filming incentive support included new seasons of crime drama S.W.A.T., that logged qualifying expenditure of more than $77m, and Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi comedy show The Orville (pictured) that spent just under $70m.

A third series of sci-fi TV adaptation Westworld is scheduled to spend $115m in the state.

Last year California extended its filming incentive support programme through to 2025, but the state still faces a long-term challenge attracting big-budget Hollywood features.

The state has had high-profile recent successes hosting films like Captain Marvel and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but Los Angeles faces stiff competition from Georgia, Vancouver and Toronto.

See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in California.

Main page image: FreeImages.com/Mana Media; The Orville image: Fox

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