Report: Los Angeles' Film Production Drops 50 Percent Since 1996

CHICAGO - JULY 16: A movie prop sits along Wacker Drive during the filming of the movie Transformers 3 in Chicago, Illinois. (2010 Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (AP) – When it comes to making feature films and television dramas, producers are increasingly seeking locations outside Los Angeles.

The Daily News cites a FilmLA report that finds feature filming in the area plummeted 50 percent from its peak in 1996. TV drama production is down 39 percent from its 2008 peak.

FilmLA is a nonprofit that facilitates film permits across Southern California. The report looks at 20 years of data.

Features and TV dramas are the highest-spending and most job-producing of the various types of film work. Their decline is blamed primarily on the 40-plus other states and foreign countries that lure producers with tax credits and other incentives.

Lower-value productions such as reality TV shows and still photo shoots are up 16 percent in the past six years.