FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, has updated its quarterly report series quantifying on-location filming within its service area. The new report, comparing April-June 2020 with the same period in the prior year, offers a stark portrait of an industry on lockdown–revealing that overall production declined 97.8 percent to just 194 Shoot Days (SD) last quarter. Unsurprisingly, last quarter also returned the lowest filming levels on record. By State and County order, production remained shut down from March 20 to June 15.
Although State and County officials gave film production the green light to resume in late June, the return to work to-date has been gradual and cautious. The COVID-19 pandemic affected all industry sectors in the second quarter, including the region’s
primary production sector, television (down 98.2 percent to 52 SD) and secondary production sector, commercials (down 95.5 percent to 58 SD). Feature film production, the third-largest industry segment also took a hit (down 99.7 percent to 3 SD).
“The first shutdowns we saw in March were voluntary, and it was hoped they could be temporary. Looking back, it was hard to imagine the impact the pandemic would have on entertainment projects in progress, and the economic security of local cast, crew, and production vendors,” noted FilmLA president Paul Audley. “The good news is that production is starting to responsibly return, with advertising shoots, commercials, and limited television production now coming online. All permitted filming must comply with Health Orders as issued by County authorities. The measure of compliance we’re seeing is a real help in keeping the industry on the road to recovery.”
For a detailed status update on production’s recent resumption in Greater Los Angeles, click here to access FilmLA’s COVID-19 Resource Center.
Austin Stowell Gets Emotional About Portraying Stoic Jethro Gibbs In “NCIS: Origins”
Once again, Austin Stowell is having the best day ever — all thanks to him winning the role of legendary TV character Leroy Jethro Gibbs in "NCIS: Origins."
"Since I got this job, it has just been day after day after day of the greatest day of my life," says Stowell, smiling.
The actor has his shoulders back and chest up to portray the ex-Marine-turned-naval investigator, set 25 years before audiences first met "NCIS" star Mark Harmon.
Harmon and his son Sean are behind the idea of this origin story of the special agent, who was on-screen for 19 seasons from 2003 to 2021, solving crimes for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Virginia.
Stowell says he'll be doing his best to live up to the role Harmon made famous and give viewers a new perspective on "how the hero was born."
Harmon, who narrates and pops up occasionally in the show, has been very supportive of Stowell, making himself available to chat about life, visiting the set and even texting (something technophobic Gibbs would never).
"Mark and I talk a lot about what it means to be the leader of a team, about what it means to be a leader of this set and crew," he says. "Those conversations have been invaluable to me because I don't know what it's like. I've never been No. 1 on a TV show before."
The lessons he's learned: be on time, be kind, respectful and professional.
He's also studied up on the "NCIS" universe, something he knew about but wasn't yet a super fan.
In a pop quiz Stowell correctly names all the franchise's four spin-off shows and only stumbles when it comes to rule three of Gibbs' famous guidelines: "Never believe what you are told."
(He keeps the full list to read from time to time.)
As for the enduring... Read More