LOS ANGELES

LA's commercial industry has obviously experienced unpredictable board flow since 9/11, even for companies with healthy alliances abroad.

"Our affiliations [abroad] mean a more stable platform for our company to keep the board flow steady, but we still depend primarily on our American work, which has been erratic lately to say the least," admits a top-dog exec on tapering business.

Yet the first quarter of 2002 has convinced many that a strong recovery was in the cards.

"There's a lot of business that has arrived recently," says another exec. "The year started strong and we hope to continue this way. You're basically not hearing the misery around you that was so pervasive at the end of 2001."

Balanced against this statement are other companies who have felt the pinch but continue regardless. "In February, board flow began slowing while March saw script volumes depreciate to half of what we normally experience," explains another exec. "But the second half of April shows signs of picking up with good spirits all round."

Cars, video games (PlayStation 2), sporting goods (Adidas), beverages and financial institutions scripts populate the West Coast commercial 'hood.

"Traditionally we're heading into a slow period, especially with Cannes upcoming and Easter recently over," says one director. "It's so difficult to say how the ebb and flow of work will be these days because of unorthodox business seasons."

BOARD FLOW: 5/10

TORONTO

Competition is tough, she said. "I'd like to say it's fair competition but sometimes I feel it's desperate, and sometimes it's unfair."

But summer is coming, he said. "It takes three good days of sunny weather above 16 degrees to get people to think they can shoot outside in this country, and then we're back in business."

But the budgets, she said. "We had to pass on some of them, we were just laughing."

"It's beer season! And car season is just around the corner," he said.

"There are fewer boards than March..."

"If we manage our prices," he said, "we'll still be the best deal in North America."

If we could just agree we could get to some of those fine creative projects. There still are some, you know.

BOARD FLOW: 4/10

NEW YORK

New York production players seem to have accepted the fact that they're living a new reality.

Board flow is steady enough to keep the industry out of trouble, but the word on the street is that it's consistently mediocre. "It's not stopped, it's not gushing; it's holding steady at a moderate trickle," says one NY producer.

As for budgets, survey says, "It's a different game now. With the economy in the tank and the world in turmoil, clients are afraid to take risks."

"Budgets are adjusted for the new millennium," concurs another, stating that while he's seen boards for full-blown national campaigns, the cash is definitely squeezed.

While re-branding, telecom, car, banking, confectionery and beer projects are keeping the city in boards, underbidding, A-list directors taking unlikely jobs and smaller campaigns continue to be a problem. But all-in-all, New Yorkers seem relatively active. As one producer sees it: "Things have picked up a bit. It's not like we've seen in the past, but it's a sign of things to come."