A STRONG YEAR FOR FILMING IN SANTA CLARITA IN 2022
The City of Santa Clarita saw an increase in location filming in 2022 with the Film Office reporting 591 film permits and 1,549 location film days, which generated an estimated $38.5 million in economic impact to the local community. This represents a 3.7 percent increase in permits, a 2.9 percent increase in film days and a 2.2 percent increase to the estimated economic impact when compared to 2021.
Coming off of a solid year in 2021, which saw 579 film permits, 1,505 film days and over $37 million in positive estimated economic impact, the 2022 numbers were records in all categories. The Santa Clarita Film Office has averaged over 500 permits processed, over 1,300 film days and over $30 million in estimated economic impact annually since 2014. Not included in the reported numbers are the film days and economic benefit from filming that takes place on certified sound stages, which do not require a film permit.
“Since the Santa Clarita Film Office began issuing permits for filming in 2003 there has been continual growth every single year and 2022 was no exception,” said Mayor Jason Gibbs. “Home to dozens of sound stages, a multitude of studios and movie ranches and unique settings for location filming, Santa Clarita is one of the most filmed communities in California, helping to boost our local economy and provide quality jobs.”
Many factors have contributed to the continued success and appeal of filming in Santa Clarita, including the City’s Film Incentive Program, Movie Ranch Overlay Zone, low-cost permit fees and expedited permit processing, along with the California Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Additionally, Santa Clarita is home to several studios and movie ranches that attract a large number of productions to the area. Santa Clarita is also located within the entertainment industry’s advantageous “Thirty-Mile Zone” and offers thousands of film-friendly locations that can double as almost anywhere in the world.
Last year, countless television shows took advantage of all that Santa Clarita has to offer and more than half of the film days reported in 2022 were attributed to television production alone. Many of the shows which were either locally based or frequently filmed in town included “Your Honor,” “CSI: Vegas,” “Bosch Legacy,” “Lincoln Lawyer,” “9-1-1,” “The Patient,” “Mayans MC,” “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “NCIS,” “S.W.A.T.,” “The Old Man,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Morning Show.”
Numerous feature films were shot in Santa Clarita in 2022, including “The Fablemans,” ”Eighty for Brady,” “Don’t Worry Darling,” “Oppenheimer,” “Amsterdam” and “Purple Hearts.” In addition, many music videos, including those by artists such as Black Pink, Charlie Puth, Michael Bublé and Taylor Swift, were filmed on location in Santa Clarita, as were various commercials and online content.
Filming benefits the local economy in several ways. Productions spend several millions of dollars each year on rentals and goods from businesses (small and large), local agencies, school districts, homeowners and non-profits. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, shopping centers and hardware stores, among others, receive direct compensation and generate tax revenue that contributes heavily to the quality of life in Santa Clarita by helping fund roads, programs, recreation and public safety.
For more information about filming in Santa Clarita, please visit FilmSantaClarita.com or contact the Film Office at (661) 284-1425. For a behind the scenes peek at filming in Santa Clarita, follow the Santa Clarita Film Office on Instagram (@FilmSantaClarita).
