Film Industry Takes a Starring Role
Published Jun 27, 2008
The new Robinson Film Center opened in downtown Shreveport in early 2008.
With a growing presence of not only location work but also film and production offices, Northwest Louisiana is fast becoming one of the nation’s hottest film-production markets.
The region is topping filmmakers’ lists for a number of reasons, not the least of which are significant financial incentives and strong cooperation from state and local governments.
“What’s been happening here is just unbelievable,” says Arlena Acree, director of film, media and entertainment for the Shreveport Film Office. “We recently were listed as the third best place in the nation to shoot by MovieMaker magazine.”
Acree credits the film industry’s growth to the state’s 2002 move to create a tax-credit incentives package for the industry, as well as ongoing recruitment and retention initiatives led by her office, the Northwest Louisiana Film Alliance, Louisiana Economic Development and other organizations.
“We were the first with a tax package, and since then a lot of other places have come on board,” she says. “It’s getting more competitive, but because we’ve grown our infrastructure since 2002 we’re ahead of other places.”
The state’s incentives include credits against state income and infrastructure taxes for projects that have investments of at least $300,000, as well as employment/labor tax credits for using Louisiana residents on projects. The latter incentive is why so much effort is being devoted not only to luring projects to the state, but also building a permanent film production base that will aid in growing local talent.
A leader in that effort is LED, which is rolling out a $2 million matching grant program for workforce-training initiatives in the entertainment sector.
The entire state has seen growth in the industry, but Northwest Louisiana has been one of the strongest players, says Chris Stelly, film and television director at LED.
“The northwestern region has been a vital driving force in the growth of this industry and a role model for communities everywhere,” he says.
WELCOMING NEW VENUES
The production industry’s growth plays out all the way down the line, as venues for the finished product are on the rise, as well. In May 2008 the Robinson Film Center, a major exhibit space for international, independent and classic film, opened in Shreveport. The center has multipurpose media rooms, two screens and the latest in film and digital projection equipment, and also serves as a resource for filmmaking and film education, says John Grindley, executive director.
“The presence of the film industry in Northwest Louisiana has increased the public’s awareness of film not just as entertainment, but as an economic and cultural force with the potential to change the face of a community, and we play a role in that,” Grindley says. “Also, part of our mission is to serve as a support service for the film and television industry, and to that end we maintain a database of resumes submitted by locals who want to get their foot in the door. We’ve helped lots of qualified individuals make that all-important first contact within the industry.”
Story by Joe Morris
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