Film in L.A.? Or Somewhere Else?

I believed Los Angeles is where all the American on-screen entertainments belong until I came to the U.S. Yet recently more TV dramas are filmed in New York and other cities. And this fall, only two dramas will be filmed in LA. What is going on?

Only Two Network Dramas will Film in LA This Fall

Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmL.A. explains this situation has a lot to do with tax incentives, on Backstage.com. When the production are done in other states, they can save money on tax and put that into production values. This is appealing especially for pilots. And pilot location usually became the series location, according to Sokoloski.

California just determined to extend the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program to 2017.
Cali. Film & TV Credit Extension Bill Passes Senate Vote
However, the California's tax exemption is $100 million a year while New York offers $420 millions. And moreover, New York recently tripled the state's tax credit on post-production to 30 percent. California does not offer anything like this. Therefore, it is expected that more and more TV series and movies will be filmed in outside of Los Angeles.


Then what will be predicted in entertainment marketing point of view?

Well, first of all, cities can promote themselves for filming location. If a city could assure the production team that they can offer affordable filming and lodging location, there sure will be some who like to for a while for their production. Especially for those of who has a big group of cast and crew or need huge location for the set, filming in outside of Los Angeles area could save tons of money. And even for the local community, the money they can receive from the production is very attractive.

And one the dramas/films use the local architecture and sight in their production, that city possibly be a popular tourist destination. This could last for a while once the production hits success. It would create jobs in the local community and possibilities, and from entertainment perspective, we can promote the production and community at the same time.

If this story become real, what Los Angeles can or should do? Moving the production to somewhere else means decrease the business in L.A. This city no longer can sit on their history and tradition. Let's see how the situation will change in next five years.