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‘All My Children’ to relocate to Los Angeles; ‘One Life to Live’ to inherit ‘AMC’s’ studio.
ABC Daytime has announced today that All My Children is moving production from New York City to Los Angeles in an effort to cut production costs and capitalize on set space. In a related move, One Life to Live is set to inherit the current All My Children studio in New York. The new AMC set will be twice as large as the current one and it will include two stages, allowing for more permanent sets. OLTL will gain an additional 30% of studio space with the move. This added space will allow for both shows to follow General Hospital’s lead and upgrade to high-definition upon the move. AMC will go dark sometime in December to allow for the move and will resume taping episodes in Los Angeles on January 4, 2010. This will set up the debut of AMC in HD just in time for February sweeps. OLTL will make its move after AMC’s west coast relocation.”
All My Children is one of the most recognizable brands in television, and we are committed to continue telling and enhancing the stories of the residents of Pine Valley,” said Brian Frons, president of the Daytime division of the Disney/ABC Television Group in today’s press release. “The move to Los Angeles enables both All My Children and One Life to Live to dramatically improve the series production models and achieve significant efficiencies while enhancing each show. We had to examine every option on the table to combat the current economic realities, and rising costs of production, and we are doing it in a way that makes each of our shows stronger.” All My Children is the most Emmy nominated daytime drama this year, and One Life to Live held that title last year.
The story, which was broken last week by Daytime Confidential’s Jamey Giddens, was shot down by the network immediately. Even former star Eden Riegel (ex-Bianca, AMC) had tweeted last week on her personal Twitter that she was “hoping these rumors about AMC moving to LA are true. I always say the only thing that would improve LA would be the company of my AMC pals!” The actors were told that the move wasn’t happening after Daytime Confidential broke the story. Today, Frons broke the news to the cast and crew of AMC onset that the show is moving out west. Actress Chrishell Stause (Amanda, AMC) tweeted early this evening “They just confirmed AMC is moving to LA-private cast meeting starting now.”
It’ll be interesting to see which AMC actors will be willing to make the move. Many live in the tri-state area surrounding New York City and commute to work each day. Many have children in schools they may not want to move. It’s no secret that AMC has an older cast. Will those that have called New York City home for decades and raised their families there want to make the move? Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) and partner Susan Haskell (Marty, OLTL) will face a very difficult task…which one will be forced to quit their job? Or will they make the tough choice to have a bicoastal relationship raising their two children? Apart from the actors, the move will also impact the crew of All My Children. Surely, many of them will be losing their jobs, as it’s much easier for AMC to hire new hair and makeup artists (especially those in L.A. already experienced with the art of doing makeup for unforgiving HD cameras) rather than relocate their existing employees.
With the cancellation of the longrunning CBS sudser Guiding Light and the threat of eminent cancellation for As the World Turns, which are both New York based, there’s already going to be a rather large influx of unemployed actors and crewmembers in the East coast soap world. Can the AMC cast afford to turn their noses up at this move?
While the genre is still alive and breathing they should be milking it for all its worth, because it won’t be long before the well dries up and daytime is dead. It is bold moves like this that are keeping cost down and keeping daytime alive to suds it up another day. All My Children and One Life to Live, you just got your reprieve.
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