La. pieces falling into place

StageWorksJimHudelson
Photo by Jim Hudelson/The Times.
Not for reuse. Photo taken July 18.
Originally uploaded by alexandyr1.

Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. If there's one polysyllabic word you need to know when chatting with industry folks, it’s infrastructure.

If the state is to continue to grow (or simply keep) its TV and film production industry, it will need to offer production facilities, post-production facilities and a free carwash with every oil change.

Shreveport is assembling its bits and pieces. I covered that here. Pictured here is the StageWorks of Louisiana soundstage facility in Shreveport (photo by Jim Hudelson/The Times).

The Advocate just reported on a new post-production facility, Louisiana Media Services. It will enable the makers of "Homeland Security" to edit their film in Louisiana. That’s huge! Click here.

And last week, the Times-Picayune reported on the groundbreaking in New Orleans for LIFT Production's 300,000-square foot movie studio complex. That’s huger. Click here.

The state has attracted $620 million in total production value so far this year. With other states quickly getting into the game of aggressive tax incentives, the only way Louisiana will continue to stay ahead of the curve will be by making it cheaper and easier to make movies here.

All these stories read together suggest that the private sector in Louisiana is hustling to do just that.

(Oh, and “huger” is a word, albeit an awful one.)