Illinois Film Office director Betsy Steinberg predicts that 2010’s steady stream of film production “will be right up there with our strongest years, if not the strongest year.”
All totaled, there were seven studio features, six pilots that filmed early in the year of which one has become a TV series, two reality shows that began later in 2010 and 21 independent films.
The IFO tracks statewide production expenditures based on applications for the Illinois Film Tax Credit. Since the final audits for many projects won’t be complete until well after the New Year, definitive production spending totals are not yet available.
Nonetheless, Local 476’s Mark Hogan estimated that the year-end total would be $165 million for both Hollywood entertainment and television commercial production here, exceeding 2007’s record high of $155 million.
Both Steinberg and Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal attributed this year’s productivity to the economic recovery. The tax credit went up from 25% to 30% in 2009, but during the depths of the recession, it failed to yield much benefit until this year.
Compared to 2009’s $105 million expenditures for features and spots, 2011 seems like a boom year for Illinois.
Television shows shooting days increased in 2010
Thirty-nine TV shows shot 332 permitted days in 2010, beating 2007’s record of 313 shoot days, according to the CFO. In 2009, 60 TV projects shot 252 days.
Fox TV’s “Chicago Code” was the biggest contributor, spending 14 days shooting its pilot in April, and then a whopping 101 days on its first season from July through December.
Latest unofficial word was that Fox TV renewed “Chicago Code” for a second season. The show is being heavily promo’d for its February debut.
