L.A. lowering filming permit costs for digital productions

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-digital-production-permits-20170609-story.html

This move to increase internet film business in L.A.

In the past, digital producers have tended to be priced out of expensive permits that cater to big-budget projects. Motion picture permits currently cost $660, not counting other costs.

The pilot program, the Digital Makers Initiative, is set to kick off in October with participants that include Buzzfeed, Fullscreen, Tastemade, mitú, Funny or Die, CollegeHumor, and 72andSunny.

Short-form online videos represent the fastest growing category of on-location production in L.A., according to data from FilmL.A., the organization that oversees film permitting throughout the area.

Last year, on-location filming for these types of productions created 2,113 production days in L.A., up 45.8% from 2015. For the same period, TV production rose 4.8%, while feature film production climbed 12%.

“Los Angeles has always been home to pioneers of the entertainment industry, and we should take down barriers to the kind of creative, future-minded innovation that small digital filmmakers represent,” Garcetti said in a statement.

 

[TheBigA]

The old days of multi-million dollar productions in LA are gone. The bigger budgets moved to Vancouver a long time ago. What's left is low cost online video or indie movie production. I know someone who does indie film, and for him, it's cheaper to shoot in Europe. Plus he gets a nice vacation.

 

[TeaPartyDude]

This is like trying to revive the coal industry.