Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, has continued to defy the overall California trend by again posting a year-on-year increase in location filming days. The city is popular for both film and TV, and has been boosted in the past year by the likes of American Sniper and crime drama NCIS.
American crime drama Banshee is counting the benefits of filming in Pennsylvania, with its first single-town base. The series previously shot in North Carolina where several different locations had to be used to create the show’s Pennsylvania setting.
Spike Lee’s new film Chi-Raq will be the first Amazon Original Movie. Shot in Chicago, the film explores the black-on-black violence endemic in parts of the city. Chicago is a popular filming location and currently hosts Chicago Fire and Chicago PD at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.
Period drama series Mr Selfridge is set to shoot a new series in an adapted studio space in North-West London. The show stars Jeremy Piven and is based on the true story of US businessman Harry Selfridge who founded London’s Selfridges store at the turn of the 20th century.
Period war drama TURN: Washington’s Spies is set to film a third season on location in Virginia. Set during America’s Revolutionary War of the 1770s, the series is based on the true story of a clandestine group of spies who assisted George Washington in the fight against the British.
New 1920s-set TV movie Harry Price: Ghost Hunter will film on location in London. Based on a novel by Neil Spring and inspired by a true story, the ITV film will follow the adventures of a ‘psychic researcher’ investigating an apparent haunting.
Location filming in Los Angeles fell by 1.9% overall in the second quarter of this year, but the decline was moderated by increases in specific categories, including a 12.3% rise in shoot days for TV drama. California has more than tripled its annual film fund for the next few years.
New TV fantasy The Shannara Chronicles looks set to boost the international filmmaking profile of Auckland. The New Zealand city has recently hosted several high-profile TV productions, including a new series of the live-action children’s favourite Power Rangers.