Finalists Announced For 31st Annual California On Location Awards

Finalists Announced For 31st Annual California On Location Awards Finalists Announced For 31st Annual California On Location Awards Fifty productions represented, including 30 shot entirely in California; Film Liaisons in California Statewide to name winners December 6 at LA’s Orpheum Theatre GlobeNewswire October 13, 2026

HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS) today announced the finalists for the 31st annual California On Location Awards (COLAs), which recognize the location managers, location teams, and public employees who help make filming possible across California. Winners will be announced on Sunday, December 6, 2026, at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

Studio feature finalists include the location managers and teams behind “Behemoth!,” “Jumanji: Open World,” “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” “The Fifth Wheel,” “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” and “Tyrant.” Television finalists include “9-1-1,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Bad Monkey,” “Ballard,” “Baywatch,” “Bosch,” “Euphoria,” “Fallout,” “Hacks,” “Lucky,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “Shrinking,” “The Comeback,” “The Hawk,” “The Land,” “The Morning Show,” and “The Paper.”

Thirty of this year’s 50 finalist productions were filmed entirely in California, up from 25 last year, and 20 participated in the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, which was expanded in 2025. In all, the 189 finalists include location professionals from film, television, commercial, and digital productions, along with public employees. According to figures submitted with the nominations, the productions account for more than 1,300 shoot days at more than 750 locations in 21 counties, from Siskiyou County near the Oregon border to Imperial County near the Mexican border, and from the Pacific coast to the Eastern Sierra.

“This year’s finalists show the skill and creativity of location professionals working in every corner of California,” said FLICS President and Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commissioner Cassandra Hesseltine. “For the film offices that support these productions every day, seeing more finalist projects filmed entirely in California is a sign that incentives are bringing work back to communities across the state. We also know many in our industry are still waiting for that work to return, and our members are committed to helping make that happen.”

This year’s program adds a New Media category, which recognizes location work on content made for digital platforms, including social media, online and user-generated video, video podcasts, websites, and apps. The first New Media finalists are all brand-produced: a Red Bull parachute and sky surfing stunt on the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, a Mercedes-AMG production filmed on the Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, and Adobe’s scripted comedy series “The Marketers,” which premiered on YouTube.

Presented by FLICS, the COLAs have grown to become the largest awards program and industry event focused on recognizing the work of California location professionals. Finalists are selected by FLICS members and a steering committee of Teamsters Local 399 members, and winners are chosen by a panel of industry experts.

Award categories include studio and independent feature films, one-hour and half-hour television series, limited series, reality television, commercials, music videos, stills, and new media, as well as assistant location manager awards for feature film and episodic television and Public Employee of the Year awards at the city, county, and state levels.

Presenting Sponsors for the 2026 California On Location Awards are Film Lancaster, FOX Studio Lot, BH Properties | Oakland Hills Campus, and Teamsters Local 399. Gold Level Sponsors include the California Film Commission, FilmLA, Film Santa Clarita, Film Shasta, and Riverside County Film Commission. For a current list of all 2026 sponsors, visit https://colaawards.com/2026-sponsors/.

The complete list of 2026 finalists follows and is also available at https://colaawards.com/2026-finalists/. Video of the ceremony will be posted on the California On Location Awards YouTube channel following the event. For more information, visit https://colaawards.com/.

About Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS)

Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional association founded in 1988 to promote filming across the Golden State. More than 40 member film commissions and film offices work with the California Film Commission to attract, retain, and facilitate production via locations, permits, resources, and local knowledge, all at no charge. More information about FLICS is available at https://www.filmcalifornia.com/.

2026 COLAs Finalists

Key: SLM = Supervising Location Manager; LM = Location Manager; KALM = Key Assistant Location Manager; ALM = Assistant Location Manager

Location Manager of the Year, Studio Feature

Location Team of the Year, Studio Feature

Location Manager of the Year, Independent Feature

Location Team of the Year, Independent Feature

Assistant Location Manager of the Year, Feature Film

Location Manager of the Year, Episodic TV – 1 Hour

Location Team of the Year, Episodic TV – 1 Hour

Location Manager of the Year, Episodic TV – ½ Hour

Location Team of the Year, Episodic TV – ½ Hour

Assistant Location Manager of the Year, Episodic Television

Location Manager of the Year, Limited Series

Location Manager of the Year, Reality TV

Location Manager of the Year, Commercials

Location Team of the Year, Commercials

Location Manager of the Year, Music Video

Location Manager of the Year, New Media

Location Manager of the Year, Stills

Public Employee of the Year, City

Public Employee of the Year, County

Public Employee of the Year, State


Contact: Erik Deutsch, ExcelPR Group, for FLICS
erikd@excelpr.com

Primary Logo